The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) request to transfer the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, before the September 21 governorship election.
Concerns were raised about Onuoha’s relationship with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, leading to suspicions of bias towards the All Progressives Congress (APC) by Governor Godwin Obaseki and the PDP.
Despite a formal protest letter from Edo State PDP chairman, Anthony Aziegbemhin, to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu citing Onuoha’s close ties with Wike, including being his cousin, INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, confirmed that the REC would not be moved.
Oyekanmi emphasized that the election’s integrity would be upheld through the voting process, not the REC’s position. He explained that Presiding Officers would declare polling unit results in the presence of party agents and stakeholders, which would then be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing portal for transparency.
He stated, “The REC for Edo State will remain in place. The governorship election will take place on September 21, 2024, in 4,519 polling units, not in the REC’s office.
“Polling unit results will be announced by Presiding Officers after the voting, sorting, and counting processes, with party agents and stakeholders present. The results will be captured with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing portal for transparency.
“The process does not involve electronic voting or transmission of results. The Nigerian constitution does not currently allow for electronic voting. Copies of the polling unit results will be provided to accredited party agents.”
It is important to note that the PDP declined to sign the peace accord for the 2024 Edo state gubernatorial election.
