C’River REC succumbs to pressure, agrees to sign result sheets for guber poll

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River State has agreed to sign result sheets for Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Cross River State, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, disclosed this to stakeholders and newsmen, yesterday, at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Calabar during inspection and distribution of sensitive materials to the eight councils of the state.

He said the commission received over 10 petitions for not signing the result sheets for the presidential and National Assembly election.

The REC explained that although the Electoral Act does not say the results must be signed, he decided to sign to erase doubts about the upcoming elections.

Yomere stated: “The rumour kitchen has been working very hard and there has been about 10 petitions regarding result sheets and also demands has been made that the REC signs them.

“No provision have been made on this in the Electoral Act but whatever I do is with the fear of God.

“Management and I have elected to sign the result sheets and while I will sign that of the governor, the administrative officer will sign that of the House of Assembly.”

In his response, the state Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Anthony Bissong, commended INEC for taking the decision.

Bissong, who doubles as the state chairman of Young People’s Party (YPP), said they requested that the results sheets be signed to avoid repetition of what happened during the last elections.

He said: “There were observable lapses during the last elections, where results were collated without result sheets.

“We do not want what happened in Cross River North during the last elections, where result sheets were absent, to repeat itself.

“The signing of the result sheets by the REC is like a security measure and this is the first victory shot as we push for credible elections in the state,” he said.