…says the commission should remove Imo REC to avoid a repeat of the Adamawa fiasco- PDP

By Amos Akande

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to use the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States to redeem its image.

It also 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.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said this at a press conference, in Abuja, on Sunday 15th October 2023.

He said, “The PDP has noted the statement by the 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.

Also Read: INEC Laments Over 241,715 Uncollected PVCs In States, Expects Mass Apathy

Kogi 2023: INEC, Police Promise Peaceful, Credible Election

“The PDP has reviewed issues relating to the conduct of the November 11, 2023 elections in the three 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 elections 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 aware and 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 the requirements of the Electoral Act, 2022.”

Ologunagba stressed that the PDP has commenced training of its polling agents at all levels to ensure total compliance with 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.

The PDP Spokesman said the party remains confident of victory in the three states because 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, and AA among others staged a peaceful protest to INEC demanding her immediate removal.”

According to him, 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.

This, he explained was based on 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.

Ologunagba, a lawyer by training also 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 as Imo REC is provocative, and inciting and amounts to testing the will of the people of Imo State and daring them to do their worst.

Ologunagba further 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.”