INEC To PDP: Edo Election Will Not Be Held At REC’s Office But Polling Stations

By Adesina Soyooye

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dared the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Commission has rejected their request to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, because of his blood relationship with the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike.

In rejecting it, INEC told PDP that the Edo Governorship Election will be held at polling stations, not REC’s office.

In the run-up to the September 21 Governorship Election, Obaseki and the PDP had raised the issue of  the REC’s relationship with Wike, a fact confirmed by Wike when he boasted on television that yes, the REC is his  cousin, and that the REC is not one to be intimidated.

Because of that, the PDP Candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, and the PDP refused to sign any peace accord. They, also, noted that the new Commissioner of Police in the State,  has a relationship with Wike. He is, reports said,  Wike’s friend and classmate in the University.

However, INEC has called the bluff of the PDP and Obaseki. INEC said it would not succumb to PDP’s request to redeploy the REC.

INEC’s response stemmed from an official letter of protest by the  Edo State PDP Chairman, Anthony Aziegbemhin, on Thursday to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, that Onuoha be immediately redeployed.

Aziegbemhin: “The ties between these two are too close to ignore as they share familiarities and are also close associates.

“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, in response to the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi,  emphatically stated that Wike’s cousin will not be redeployed as Edo REC.

He chided the PDP by asking them to focus on how to deliver their candidate than the redeployment of the REC.

His words: “The REC for Edo State will not be redeployed. The governorship election will be conducted on 21st September 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.

“The PO will also take a picture of the PU result in each polling unit with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and upload the same to the INEC Result Viewing portal. This process is not the same as electronic voting or electronic transmission and collation of results.

“The IReV is for transparency purposes. The Nigerian constitution does not yet recognise electronic voting. Copies of the PU results will be given to accredited party agents.”

As the election approaches, the tension is so thick, so high, that not a few people fear that violence could be the order of the day on September 21, 2024.