INEC Speaks On Exclusion Of Igbos, South-South From Governorship Election Duties

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has denied reports alleging the exclusion of Igbos and South-South from the list of ad hoc staff for Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State.

CityNews Nigeria reports that INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos State, Olusegun Agbaje, in a statement on Wednesday by the Head of Department, Voter Education, and Publicity, Adenike Tadese, described the allegations as false.

Agbaje said the electoral umpire engaged 738 Ad hoc staff for the last poll considering it was three elections.

However, the was a need to reduce the collation officers to 427 because the exercise includes only the Governorship and House of Assembly.

Agbaje maintained members of staff that are Igbos were all returned to work as Collation Officers in the forthcoming elections adding that anyone with a purported phone conversation on the removal of Igbos in the exercise should make it public.

He urged members of the public to shun fake news, and misinformation and allow INEC in Lagos to focus on the forthcoming elections in order to achieve the desired results.

Agbaje said: “INEC, Lagos State, read with great surprise and concern on the social media in respect of the removal of all Igbos and South-South staff in Lagos State from participating as ad hoc staff in the state during the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections on March 18.

“It has become imperative to correct the erroneous accusations in some quarters and put the record straight that the Ad hoc staff (Collation Officers) engaged during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on February 25 in Lagos State were 738 in number, bearing in mind that three elections were held.

“The forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly will only require the services of 427 Collation Officers because only two elections are involved.

“It is pertinent to state unequivocally that members of staff that are Igbos were all returned to work as Collation Officers in the forthcoming elections while SPOs (Supervisory Presiding Officers) maintained their positions.

“Whoever has information concerning the day and time of the said telephone conversation should not hesitate to make it public.

“The commission will continue to uphold the fundamental principles of equity, fairness, transparency, credibility and accountability in line with the vision and mission to be a pre-eminent leader in deepening electoral democracy as an unbiased election management body”