BY Samuel Akpan
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to redeploy Sylvia Agu, the resident electoral commissioner in Imo.
In a statement issued on Monday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, claimed that Agu is allegedly “being compromised to manipulate” the governorship election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition party urged the INEC chairman to “take a cue” from Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), who redeployed Mohammed Barde, the commissioner of police in Imo, ahead of the poll.
Barde was redeployed to the police headquarters following protests by the Labour Party (LP) and several civil society organisations (CSOs) demanding his removal over an assault on Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“Prof. Yakubu should forestall an impending crisis in the Imo State election by heeding the insistent outcry, petitions and protests by the people of Imo State, political parties, civil society organizations as well as Ohaneze Youth Council for the removal of Prof. Sylvia Agu who has been allegedly compromised by the APC,” the statement reads.
The PDP said the people of Imo “cannot accept any electoral process with Prof. Agu as REC” because of her alleged partisanship.
“The redeployment of Sylvia Agu out of Imo State is therefore the only way to restore confidence in the electoral process, guarantee a credible election and avert crisis in the State,” the PDP said.
The PDP further accused the Imo REC of holding secret meetings with APC agents.
“The PDP calls on the INEC Chairman to note that the integrity of an election principally lies in the confidence of the electorate in the electoral process,” the party said.
“Her continuing stay in office as Imo REC is vexatious and a recipe for crisis.
“The PDP therefore restates its demand on the INEC Chairman to immediately redeploy Prof. Sylvia Agu out of Imo State so as to restore the confidence of the people and the integrity of the electoral process.”
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