As the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State approaches, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) demand to redeploy Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Anugbum Onuoha.
Onuoha has found himself at the center of controversy due to his ties with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Wike and Governor Godwin Obaseki’s relationship has deteriorated since Wike backed Obaseki’s second term bid after his defection to the PDP.
In light of this, Obaseki and the national leadership of the PDP are concerned that Onuoha may manipulate the election in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party to which Wike now belongs.
On Thursday, Edo State PDP chairman Anthony Aziegbemhin submitted a formal protest letter to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, demanding Onuoha’s “immediate redeployment.”
“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,” the letter added.
However, Wike’s admittance on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday that Onuoha was his cousin aggravated the PDP’s reservations.
Speaking on the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated emphatically that the REC would not be redeployed.
He implored the PDP to focus on the process of the election rather than Onuoha.
According to him “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”, he said.
Obaseki and his party had refused to sign the peace accord ahead of the election. They have also been talking tough. While the governor describe the election as do or die, Illiya Damagum, acting chairman of the PDP, said party members would defend their votes with their blood.
