THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it would only accept results transmitted electronically during the November 11 governorship election in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo.
The party also told the electoral body to use the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States to redeem its image.
Besides, it advised the commission to replace its resident electoral commissioner for Imo State, Sylvia Agu, to prevent a repeat of the electoral upheaval experienced in Adamawa State during the most recent governorship election.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this while speaking to journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, October 15.
“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 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 requirement of the Electoral Act, 2022,” Ologunagba stated.
Regarding the Imo State REC, Ologunagba stated that the PDP has repeatedly demanded the removal of 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, staged a peaceful protest to INEC demanding her immediate removal.”
He said this was based on how the REC acted during the 2023 House of Assembly and National Elections, where “she allegedly manipulated and brazenly assisted the APC in rigging the elections.”
The PDP spokesperson reminded the INEC Chairman that the integrity of an election process is related to the electorate’s confidence.
The ICIR reported that the INEC chairman, Yakubu, assured voters in Kogi that voting in the November 11 governorship election in the state will commence at 8. 30 a.m.
Yakubu said this when he visited the commission’s office in Kogi Local Government (LGA) in Kotonkarfe to monitor a mock accreditation exercise in Lokoja on Saturday, October 14.
During the visit, Yakubu also assured voters that it would electronically transmit the governorship election results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
In less than a month (on November 11), Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo state residents will elect a new governor as INEC conducts the states’ off-cycle governorship poll.
The states are three of six states in Nigeria with off-season governorship polls. Others are Ondo, Edo and Osun.
While the current governor of Imo State’s term expires on January 14, 2024, Okoye said the governors of Kogi and Bayelsa States had respective terms that expire on January 26, 2024, and February 13 of the same year.
The ICIR, in this report, presented the top candidates in the three states and their chances.
A reporter with the ICIR
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