Vincent UFUOMA

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to The ICIR’s report on the allegation by some ad-hoc staff engaged by the Commission in the conduct of 2019 General Elections.

Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi has requested the details of all those affected with a promise to track their records with the INEC.

Earlier, the Ad-hoc staff, most of whom served in Enugu State, had alleged that the Commission had refused to pay them the half payment of their allowances a year after the conduct of the election.

Jonathan, who served as an Assistant Polling Officer (APO II), Udi Local Government, told The ICIR that it took a protest by some of his colleagues at the INEC office for the commission to pay them half-payments for the services rendered more than a year ago.

“At some point, some of us were not paid at all. We went to INEC Enugu Zonal Office to complain and they gave us forms to fill promising they would pay us in two weeks’ time. Months have gone and yet no payment. They kept giving us form to fill each time we went there to complain.

“At a point, some people tried to stage a protest. Some were paid after that. Security officials stopped allowing us each time we went there. They would tell us to go since we have filled the form to complain, that we would be paid. At one point they claimed they had paid some of us including me which was not true. They asked us to submit our bank account statement. I had to submit my bank account statement.”

He further said efforts by some of them to make sure the Commission pay them the balances have fallen on deaf ears as there have been alleged cases of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds for the election in Enugu State.

An initial attempt by The ICIR to reach the Commission to make comments on the allegation on Saturday was unsuccessful as a call put across to the Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi could not be answered. He also did not respond to SMS sent to him at 6:50 pm the same day.

But in a later call and WhatsApp message on Sunday evening, he asked The ICIR to furnish him with the details of affected persons for a follow-up with the Commission office in Enugu.

“Please supply the full details of all those making the allegations. By this, I mean their full names, the local government areas/polling units where they served, and evidence of engagement given by INEC. These details will enable me to track their records in our State office(s) where they served,” he said.