My critics giving excuses for their defeat – Rivers REC

The Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Gesila Khan, has said the criticisms against her before, during and after the 2015 controversial elections in the state mean nothing to her.

Khan said those criticising her did so because they lost the elections, adding that it was normal for losers to give excuses on why they lost.

Widespread criticisms had trailed the conduct and outcome of the general elections in the state, especially from members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress.

But speaking on Thursday in Port Harcourt shortly after receiving an award of merit from the Joint Assembly of Rivers State Youths, the state REC said she did her best in conducting the 2015 elections in the state, describing the exercise as “very successful”.

Explaining that she knew that Rivers State would be tough to handle, Khan explained that should would have avoided her transfer to the state if she could, having served in Delta, another tough state to handle during elections.

She added, “The criticism against me was nothing. Normally, in life, when there is a game; like I would say, politics is a game, everybody wants to be a winner and when they fail, they look for excuses. So, that was it.

“For me, the election in Rivers State was very successful because before the elections, I was in Delta State. Moving down to Rivers State on the January 5, 2015, you could sense the tension.

“I was not comfortable when I was posted to Rivers State because I was coming from another tough terrain. If it was possible for me to avert it, I would have done that. We saw the flashpoints in Rivers and every local government area was a flashpoint.”

She, however, expressed gratitude to God that none of INEC employees and the 26,000 adhoc staff in the state was killed or injured during the exercise.

Khan said, “The election was feared because even in my sensitisation programme, I kept telling the people that the states that would be used to adjudge this year’s election were Kano, Delta and Rivers.

“I know it would be challenging. I thank God and I thank the youths of Rivers State that they refused to be a party to that. We knew Rivers State was going to be tense. So, we were sleeping in the office. I even slept on the floor because I had to give up my seat for the visiting people.”