Our reporter/ Ahead the Edo state governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has has declined to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Anugbum Onuoha.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP had called for the deployment of Onuoha, who a cousin to Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister and former governor of Rivers State.
The national leadership of the PDP have expressed fears that Onuoha would influence the election to favour the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The PDP chairman in Edo State, Anthony Aziegbemhin, had submitted a formal protest letter to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, demanding Onuoha’s immediate redeployment.
“The ties between these two are too close to ignore as they share familiarities and are also close associates, the letter read.
“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.”
However, responding, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, emphatically said that the REC would not be redeployed, urging the PDP to focus on the process of the election rather than Onuoha.
“The REC for Edo State will not be redeployed. The governorship election will be conducted on September 21, 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.”
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