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Ikenna Ngere
Guest
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has turned down the request of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reassign the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Anugbum Onuoha.
Naija News reported that Edo governorship election would be held on Saturday, September 21.
The PDP’s concerns stem from Onuoha’s familial ties to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
This development has sparked significant controversy, especially given the fallout between Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and Wike, despite the latter’s initial support for Obaseki’s second-term bid under the PDP.
Now with Wike in a ministerial position under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obaseki and the PDP are wary that Onuoha might tilt the election results in favour of the APC.
On Thursday, Edo State PDP Chairman, Anthony Aziegbemhin, filed a formal protest to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, requesting Onuoha’s immediate redeployment.
He cited concerns about the REC’s close relationship with Wike, mentioning that Onuoha had previously served in Wike’s administration as Commissioner and Special Adviser for Lands, Survey, and Housing during his time as Rivers State governor.
“The ties between these two are too close to ignore as they share familiarities and are also close associates.
“The said Edo REC is a cousin to the Minister of the FCT, Mr. Wike. He also served as a former Commissioner and Special Adviser for Lands, Survey, and Housing to Mr. Wike during his tenure as Rivers governor,” the letter partly read.
Wike, however, acknowledged the family connection in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today but insisted that Onuoha is professionally capable of performing his duties impartially, without any influence from personal or political ties.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, responded to the PDP’s concerns, clearly stating that Onuoha would not be redeployed.
He emphasized that the governorship election would take place across 4,519 polling units, not from the REC’s office, ensuring that the electoral process is independent of any single individual.
Oyekanmi further highlighted INEC’s commitment to transparency, mentioning that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be used to capture and upload results to the INEC Result Viewing portal for public access.
“The REC for Edo State will not be redeployed. The governorship election will be conducted on 21st September 2024 in 4,519 polling units, not in the REC’s office.
“In the same manner, polling unit results will be declared by the respective Presiding Officers after the voting, ballot sorting and counting processes, in the presence of accredited party agents and other stakeholders.
“The PO will also take a picture of the PU result in each polling unit with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and upload the same to the INEC Result Viewing portal. This process is not the same as electronic voting or electronic transmission and collation of results.
“The IReV is for transparency purposes. The Nigerian constitution does not yet recognise electronic voting. Copies of the PU results will be given to accredited party agents,” Oyekanmi said.
As tensions rise ahead of the election, Obaseki and his party have refused to sign the peace accord, with both the governor and PDP Acting Chairman Illiya Damagum making strong statements about defending their votes, even suggesting potential unrest if their concerns are not addressed.
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