Akwa Ibom State: PDP Demands Appointment of a Neutral Resident Electoral Commissioner

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commence the process of appointing a neutral Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Akwa Ibom State so as to avert crisis and illegitimacy in future elections in the state. (It is noteworthy that the PDP is the ruling party in Akwa Ibom State).

This is following the allegation that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Etekamba Umoren, is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which breaches the Electoral Act, 2022.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said the imposition of Mr. Umoren on Akwa Ibom State, despite rejection by the party and the people of Akwa Ibom State, is unacceptable as Umoren runs short of the necessary criteria required to occupy the position of a REC.

“Etekamba Umoren, having been thus accused and being a card-carrying member and leader of the APC, runs short of the necessary criteria required to occupy the position of a REC.

“A REC should be known to be a non-partisan individual of high integrity and whose conduct and appreance should exude confidence in the electorate and enhance the legitimacy of any election supervised by him.

“Etekamba Umoren is a known APC leader, who has been at the forefront of APC campaigns and unrelenting projection of APC’s interests in previous elections.

“It is imperative to state that Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022 is clear and unambiguous in barring partisan persons like APC’s Etekamba Umoren from holding any position whatsoever in INEC,” the PDP stated.

The provocative imposition of a card-carrying member and known leader of the APC as the INEC REC for Akwa Ibom State which has resulted in tension in the State is at variance and in desecration of the express provision, intent and purpose of Section 14 (3) of the 1999…

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) November 2, 2023

The Electoral Act

Citing Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022, which states the criteria for appointing resident electoral commissioners, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement on Thursday described Etekamba Umoren’s imposition as a REC as a provocative and vexatious defilement of the independence, integrity and credibility of the electoral system, which cannot be allowed to stand.

“…This imposition has started generating serious agitation which is a recipe for crisis and possible breakdown of law and order in Akwa Ibom State, if not immediately addressed.

“No person holding an elective office to which this Act relates or a registered member of a political party shall be eligible for or be appointed to carry out the duties of a returning officer, an electoral officer, presiding officer or a poll clerk.

“Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022 is clearly a major provision that confers, affirms and protects INEC’s statutory independence, guarantees its impartiality and non-partisanship in the electoral process.

“The violation of this key provision as in the case of Etekamba Umoren is a grievous assault on INEC’s credibility as an institution of democracy and the sanctity of the electoral process.

“The PDP, therefore, in clear and unequivocal terms rejects the imposition of Etekamba Umoren as INEC REC for Akwa Ibom State, being conceived in iniquity and in flagrant violation of the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and the universal demand of impartiality and non-partisanship of an electoral body and its officials.

“Our party is aware of the mission allegedly handed to Etekamba Umoren by the APC leadership to use the office of the REC to compromise sensitive processes, materials and systems including voter registration, collection of Voter Cards, doctoring of Voter Register, delineation of electoral constituencies and coercion of INEC staff, all to lay the foundation for the APC to manipulate the process leading to future elections in Akwa Ibom State.

“The provocative imposition of a card-carrying member and known leader of the APC as the INEC REC for Akwa Ibom State which has resulted in tension in the state is at variance and in desecration of the express provision, intent and purpose of Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which is to promote national unity and loyalty in all the component parts of Nigeria.

“It is instructive to alert that the import of the violation of Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022 is to the effect that any election conducted or superintended by Etekamba Umoren will be subject to illegitimacy on the ground that the electoral body is constituted contrary to and in violation of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“…Etekamba Umoren should therefore steer clear of INEC office in Akwa Ibom State.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should immediately commence the process of appointing a neutral Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State so as to avert crisis and illegitimacy in future elections in the State,” the statement read.

It would be recalled that Etekamba Umoren was among the 10 candidates for the position of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) presented to the National Assembly and were confirmed, awaiting deployment.