The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to immediately redeploy the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Sylvia Agu for allegedly being partisan and compromised to manipulate the November 11, 2023 governorship elections in the state in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party urged INEC to take a cue from the Inspector General of Police who redeployed the Commissioner of Police in Imo State in response to the outcry and demands of the people for neutrality in the forthcoming polls.
The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba said that INEC chairman should forestall an impending crisis by heeding the insistent outcry, petitions and protests by the people of Imo State, political parties, civil society organisations as well as Ohaneze Youth Council for the removal of the state’s chief electoral officer who has been allegedly compromised by the APC.
“The people of Imo State cannot accept any electoral process with Prof. Agu as REC, given her reported role in the brazen manipulation of the 2023 National and House of Assembly elections in Imo State in favour of the APC, which is still in the public domain.
“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.
“This is especially so as there are very disturbing allegations in the public space of clandestine meetings between Prof. Agu and certain APC agents said to have been facilitated by her close relative, who is an APC national officer, ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State.”
The spokesman said the INEC chairman should note that the integrity of an election principally lies in the confidence of the electorate in the electoral process.
“Prof. Sylvia Agu has lost the rectitude as Resident Electoral Commissioner and should not be part of the conduct of the November 11, 2023 governorship election. 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,” he said.
