LAGOS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Re-run elections were held across three senatorial districts, eight federal constituencies and 10 state constituencies of the oil-rich Rivers State on Saturday in a tense atmosphere.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had conducted the re-run polls on March 19, following court rulings that invalidated the 2015 federal and state legislative elections in the oil-rich state.
The exercise was however marred by violence, forcing the electoral body to suspend the polls midway.
A Xinhua reporter in the state said voting has commenced in eight local government areas, noting that accreditation and voting began at 8:30 a.m, local time.
At least 28,000 policemen have been deployed for the legislative re-run election in the state, according to Nnamdi Omoni, the state police spokesman.
The heavy police presence was to give the people confidence to exercise their franchise, he added.
Omoni said the police had not received report of any incident since voting commenced in areas where elections are being held.
Chairman of the electoral body Mahmood Yakubu has advised electorate in Rivers not to be intimidated in exercising their civil responsibility in the election.
He assured that INEC would continue to improve on the use of technology, especially card readers to deepen the country's democracy.
The race for the legislative seats is expected to be a two-horse race between the state ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the national ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), although other parties are also participating in the elections.
