The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has promised to hold the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to its pronouncements about the forthcoming 11th November off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States, even as it follows closely the activities lined up by the commission.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, during a press conference on Sunday evening in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, said the PDP had noted Professor Mahmood’s statement on the electronic upload of results of the elections as a mandatory statutory requirement of the law.
Watch the Media interactive session with the @OfficialPDPNig National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba @OfficialDeboO on @inecnigeria pronouncements concerning the November 11, 2023 Guber elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo States. https://t.co/j7pORekRAx
— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) October 15, 2023
“The PDP has noted the statement by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over the weekend that the INEC will make full use of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for uploading and electronic transmission of results in the November 11, 2023 governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States.
“The PDP holds the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, directly responsible and accountable to his pronouncements.
“…INEC is bound by the Law to electronically transmit results directly from the polling units, using these technologies.
‘The PDP is prepared for the elections and, in line with the commitment of INEC, will not accept any other means of transmitting results in these elections except in a manner pronounced by the INEC chairman in line with requirements of the Electoral Act, 2022,” said Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s national publicity secretary.
He maintained that the PDP has commenced training of its polling agents at all levels to ensure total compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended); the Electoral Act, 2022; and the INEC Guidelines and Regulations, especially as confirmed by the INEC chairman.
On the upcoming 11th November off-cycle elections and the level of preparedness of the PDP to win the three states, Debo Ologunagba affirmed that “in Bayelsa State the PDP has a miracle governor, a performing governor, who is on the ground and enjoys the overwhelming support of the people.”
“And in Kogi State, the PDP has a very popular candidate, Senator Dino Melaye, whose popularity and public acceptance have completely outshone other candidates.
“In Imo State, the PDP has a very popular candidate in Senator Samuel Anyanwu whose popularity and acceptance across the state have thrown other contestants into mortal fear.
“Senator Anyanwu’s mission to ‘Make Imo Safe Again’ is resonating across the state, and the overwhelming majority of the people of Imo State are rallying with him to achieve this,” he further asserted.
Imo State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner
The PDP called for the immediate removal of the openly compromised Imo State INEC REC, Prof. Sylvia Agu, saying that the party and other political parties had written several letters to the INEC in that regard after a recent peaceful protest by the PDP, LP, YPP, ADC, and AA, among other political parties, to the INEC office, demanding her immediate removal.
“The continuing stay in office of Prof. Sylvia Agu as Imo REC is provocative, inciting, and amounts to testing the will of the people of Imo State and daring them to do their worst.
“The INEC has a lot of RECs from which the INEC chairman can choose to replace Prof. Sylvia Agu and avoid a scenario that could be worse than what happened in Adamawa State Governorship Election where INEC refused to change the compromised REC,” said Ologunagba.
He called on the INEC chairman to note that the integrity of an election process is directly related to the confidence of the electorate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is gearing up to conduct off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States.
As part of the preparations, a mock accreditation exercise was held in the three states over the weekend as a test run before the election day and to strategize ways of dealing with challenges that may arise.
