PDP Charges INEC to Redeem Image with Off-season Polls

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, called on the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to use the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States to redeem its “already battered” image.

The party also called on INEC to keep to its words that the results of the three governorship elections would be  electronically transmitted, even as it urgedINEC to redeploy the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Slyvia Agu, whom it said was a blood relation of the vice national chairman of the APC for the Southeast.

PDP claimed its warning was on the heels of an earlier one against the biased attitude of the embattled REC in Adamawa State. Yunusa Hadi.
Addressing a press conference at its national secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the three off-seasons governorship elections should be a golden opportunity for INEC to redeem its already battered image.

He explained that INEC should ensure that what happened in the February Presidential and National Assembly as well as the governorship and state assembly elections should not repeat itself again, stating, “These off seasons elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states are an opportunity that INEC should not allow to be lost.”

Ologunagba said the PDP has noted the statement by INEC Chairman that the commission would make full use of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for uploading and electronic transmission of results in the November 11, 2023 governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States.

“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. This is an opportunity to use to redeem its already battered image,” he said.

The PDP spokesman said the party was fully prepared for these elections and in line with the commitment of INEC, it would not accept any other means of transmitting results in these elections except as the manner pronounced by the INEC chairman in line with requirement of Electoral Act, 2022.

He called on INEC to redeploy the REC in Imo State, Prof Slyvia Agu, whom he said has a blood relation with a chieftain of APC in the southeast, saying the INEC must avoid a repeat of what happened in Adamawa state with a biased REC.

The PDP chief said the PDP has a popular candidate in Senator Samuel Anyanwu, whose popularity and acceptance across the State had thrown the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma and the APC in the state into mortal fear.