Accord Party has rejected the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to continue the collation of votes cast during the March 9 governorship election held in Rivers State.
The party, which was one of those that participated in the Rivers governorship and State Assembly elections, called on INEC to cancel the elections held in the state.
Accord Party, in a statement on Wednesday by Muhammad Lawal Nalado, its National Chairman, urged INEC to conduct fresh elections in the state, adding that only through this that the Commission could guarantee the confidence of Rivers people in the democratic process.
The party said there was no evidence that any genuine election was held in the state on March 9, even as it asked INEC to explain to Nigerians and Rivers people at what point it suspended the election and at which point it wished to continue collation of results.
It said there were clear reports that ballot papers were thumb-printed in the Rivers Government House in favour of the incumbent, Governor Nyesom Wike.
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This, Accord stated, was in addition to alleged eruption of violence during the exercise, which it said, scared potential voters away, saying that continuing with the collation would imply skewing the process to return the incumbent governor at all cost.
The party said it was unconstitutional for INEC, after declaring a voting process inconclusive and announcing the suspension of the entire process, to resume collation of votes in the elections.
It maintained that there were alleged reports that the fact finding team sent from the INEC headquarters to Rivers State paid a courtesy visit to Wike, and asked what was the business of the team with the governor.