By Augustine Aminu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) again tasked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to immediately redeploy the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Sylvia Agu, for allegedly being compromised to manipulate the November 11, 2023 governorship elections in Imo States in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party said this in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.
The PDP further urged the INEC Chairman to take a cue from the Inspector General of Police who redeployed the Commissioner of Police in Imo State in response to the outcry and demands of the people for neutrality in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the State.
According to the party, “Prof. Yakubu should forestall an impending crisis in the Imo State election by heeding the insistent outcry, Petitions and Protests by the people of Imo State, Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations as well as Ohaneze Youth Council for the removal of the Prof. Sylvia Agu who has been allegedly compromised by the APC.
“The people of Imo State cannot accept any electoral process with Prof. Agu as REC, given her reported role in the brazen manipulation of the 2023 National and House of Assembly elections in Imo State in favour of the APC, which is still in the public domain.
The redeployment of Sylvia Agu out of Imo State is therefore the only way to restore confidence in the electoral process, guarantee a credible election and avert crisis in the State.
“This is especially so as there are very disturbing allegations in the public space of clandestine meetings between Prof. Agu and certain APC agents said to have been facilitated by her close relative, who is an APC national officer, ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State”, it said.
The PDP called on the INEC Chairman to note that the integrity of an election principally lies in the confidence of the electorate in the electoral process.
Prof. Sylvia Agu, the party said, has lost the rectitude as Resident Electoral Commissioner and should not be part of the conduct of the November 11, 2023 governorship election.
“Her continuing stay in office as Imo REC is vexatious and a recipe for crisis”, the PDP declared.
The PDP therefore restated its demand on the INEC Chairman to immediately redeploy Prof. Sylvia Agu out of Imo State so as to restore the confidence of the people and the integrity of the electoral process.