Percy Onyeka
With barely 28 days to the conduct of the November 11 governorshiip election in Imo state, the opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP,) has passed a bite of no confidence on the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), professor Sylvia Agu, saying that she lacks the integrity to deliver a credible election in the state
The PDP position is coming few weeks after give other political parties had earlier demanded for the removal of the Imo REC
This is as the PDP has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to use the window created by the forth coming off circle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States to redeem its image and make amends from it’s shortcomings during the February 25 and March 28 presidential and governorshiip elections in the country
The opposition party in a press briefing on Sunday by It’s National Publicly Secretary, Debo Ologunagba demanded that the commission should replace the Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Agu, to avoid a repeat of the electoral chaos recorded in Adamawa State during the last governorship election.
“The PDP has noted the statement by INEC Chairman that INEC will make full use of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for uploading and electronic transmission of results in the November 11, 2023 governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States.
“The PDP has reviewed issues relating to the conduct of the November 11, 2023 elections in the three States and states as follows:
“The PDP notes that the INEC Chairman has confirmed that the use of BVAS and IREV in this election and even in previous election is a mandatory statutory requirement of the law
“The PDP holds INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu directly responsible and accountable to his pronouncements and that INEC is bound by Law to electronically transmit results directly from the polling units using these technologies.
“The PDP is fully prepared for these elections and in line with the commitment of INEC will not accept any other means of transmitting results in these elections except as this manner pronounced by the INEC Chairman in line with requirement of Electoral Act, 2022.”
Ologunagba who disclosed that the PDP has commenced training of its polling agents at all levels to ensure total compliance to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Guidelines and Regulations especially as confirmed by the INEC Chairman stated further expressed the party’s confident of victory in the Baylesa, Imo and Kogi states governorshiip elections, stressing that all of its candidates in the affected states: Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo) and Senator Dino Melaye, have proven track records of public service and are popular with their people.
On the demand for the sack of the Imo State REC, he said, “The PDP for the umpteenth time demands for the immediate removal of the (alledgedly) openly compromised Imo State INEC REC, Prof. Sylvia Agu.
“The PDP and other political parties had written several letters to INEC. Recently the political parties including the PDP, LP, YPP, ADC, AA among others staged a peaceful protest to INEC demanding for her immediate removal.”
He emphasized that the PDP does not have confidence in the ability of Prof. Agu to be fair to all parties contesting in the November 11, 2023 governorship elections citing her conduct in the 2023 National and House of Assembly elections where “she allegedly manipulated and brazenly assisted the APC in rigging the elections, are in the public domain.
The PDP spokesperson further alleged that Prof Sylvia Agu is a direct relation of a national officer of the APC and there are allegations that she is being further compromised to assist the APC to rig the Nov. 11 Governorship election in Imo State
He noted that her continued stay in office of as Imo REC is provocative, inciting and amount to testing the Will of the people of Imo State and daring them to do their worse.
He said, “INEC has a lot of RECs from which the INEC Chairman can choose to replace Prof. Sylvia Agu and avoid a scenario that could be worse than what happened in Adamawa State Governorship election where INEC refused to change the compromised REC.
“INEC Chairman must note that the integrity of an election process is directly relation to the confidence of the electorate.”
Techrectory with Agency Report.
