Anxiety over shake-up of INEC Electoral Officers

Five days to the start of the general elections, there is tension in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the redeployment of Electoral Officers (EOs).

Electoral Officers are responsible for the co-ordination of elections across the 774 local government areas. They are also responsible for the announcement of results at the local government areas.

The INEC leadership last weekend redeployed the EOs in bid to forestall rigging. The action followed complaints by leaders of political parties that some of the officers have over stayed in office and may have been compromised.

It was gathered that some INEC officials are undermining the directive by INEC chair Prof. Attahiru Jega.

Sources said certain INEC administrative secretaries left behind by the former chairman of the agency, Prof Maurice Iwu, might have been working with unscrupulous politicians to subvert the electoral process.

They were alleged to have unilaterally changed the lists approved by Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). It was gathered that Cross River, Kebbi and Kano states were among the states affected.

The others could not be immidiately confirmed last night.

The latest disclosure has confirmed the fear of pro-electoral reform Nigerians, who had warned that unless the entire agency is purged, Jega may not achieve much by working with the “old order in INEC”.

The revelation came on the heels of the Governors’ Forum invitation to RECs for a meeting on free and fair elections.

But Jega, who was uncomfortable with the invitation, directed RECs to stay back in their states to supervise preparations for Saturday’s National Assembly elections.

According to the source, the INEC chairman was embarrassed when it was discovered that names of people not recommended were on the final list. The issue is now being probed, it was gathered.

A senior INEC official said: “The final list is generating ripples at the INEC headquarters. The situation is so messy that the list of recommended EOs submitted by a REC, who has the final authority, was substituted by his Administrative Secretary with names of those earlier dropped without the knowledge of the REC.

“The INEC chairman met with the RECs last week and he took exception to the unfortunate conduct of the Administrative Secretary. However, no disciplinary measure has been taken against him, although the names he erroneously included on the list of EOs were not dropped.”

An INEC director said: “There are grumblings in the commission over the timing of the redeployment of the EOs. Those redeployed have up to Tuesday or Wednesday to handover and that would affect their performance because they will have about 48 hours to 72 hours to prepare for Saturday’s election.

“Also, we have got reports that some Administrative Officers have not fully complied with the directive of INEC chairman to redeploy of the EOs in their states. We do not know why this is the case.

“If all the EOs were redeployed as being claimed, Jega will have to ensure full compliance with his directive.”

Another top official of INEC added: “The redeployment of the EOs is not a new thing; it is normal practice in INEC. Some of them have become entrenched in their local areas that they can be used by politicians for selfish ends.

“It was a master stroke by Jega and his team. They must have got security reports on the activities of some of the EOs. As the first line of contacts in the electoral process, some of them used to give out vital information to politicians.

Jega’s Chief Press Secretary Mr. Kayode Idowu said: “All the Electoral Officers throughout the Federation have been redeployed; no one is left out. They were redeployed to boost confidence in the system – in line with our determination for a free and fair poll.

“We have to move them out of their stations to prevent anyone from hijacking or compromising them to influence the electoral process.

“We have confidence in our EOs but we need to swap them so that they can operate outside their domains.”

Idowu added: “The redeployment is not too late and it won’t affect preparations for the polls, which will begin on Saturday.

“All the Electoral Officers have been mandated to resume in their new stations on Monday to have enough time to adjust and prepare for the polls.”

Anxiety over shake-up of INEC Electoral Officers

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate in Oyo State Senator Abiola Ajimopbi has urged Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim, to parade suspects arrested in the voters register fraud in the state.

A statement by the Director of Publicity of his campaign organisation Mr Yanju Adegbite alleged a cover-up between the government and the police to ensure that the suspects were let off the hook.

The statement said in spite of denials, the PDP-led government was actually neck-deep in the fraud and a parade of the suspects would put a lie to the PDP denials.

According to the statement, “the PDP was merely crying wolf about alleged plan of the ACN to cause chaos in the state when it was a known fact that the Adebayo Alao-Akala government in the state is the mastermind of present and past electoral machinations in Oyo State.”

Ajimobi also urged the PDP to “go beyond the realm of allegation to name who in Oyo ACN was planning to cause chaos.”

The ACN alleged that the PDP was planning to use state government ambulances to convey hoodlums during the election.

“We want the security agencies to be on the alert and do their jobs diligently. We believe that the security agencies are ordinarily unbiased and will remain like that during the elections. Members of the public are also advised to be vigilant, especially when they sight any ambulance during the elections.” the statement added.

Ajimobi urged Nigerians to carry out an integrity check on all the candidates, in order to ensure that corrupt individuals are not voted into office.

Addressing some professionals in Ibadan yesterday, Ajimobi said only candidates with good track records and exemplary leadership skills can save Oyo State from its deplorable state.

He said if voted into power, he would ensure the monthly publication of all financial transactions in national newspapers, in order to eradicate shady deals and corrupt activities.

Ajimobi said, “It is only candidates with integrity, credibility, selfless service and masses-oriented vision, good intention and commitments that can move Oyo State forward and take it to its rightful position as indeed a pacesetter.

“Government is about service to the people. One should not be in government and allow the people to suffer. We should always be ready to alleviate their sufferings and let them feel the impact of government.

“I am ready to serve and make Oyo state better. The citizens will benefit immensely from an ACN government in this state. Oyo state itself will wear a new, better and improved look”, Ajimobi said.