ABUJA, NIGERIA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emphasized the significance of the upcoming governorship elections scheduled for November 11 in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states, considering it a crucial opportunity for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rebuild its reputation. The PDP is also demanding the removal of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Agu.
Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, expressed these sentiments in Abuja on Sunday. He noted the PDP’s awareness of INEC’s commitment to using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the Result Viewing portal for uploading election results.
Ologunagba emphasized that the PDP would hold INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, directly responsible and accountable for his statements. He stressed that the integrity of the election process is closely tied to the electorate’s confidence in the system.
According to Ologunagba, “These elections present INEC with a golden opportunity to redeem its largely battered image by-product of the 2023 elections.”
In addition to focusing on INEC’s image restoration, the PDP called for the immediate removal of Prof. Sylvia Agu, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo State, citing concerns about her impartiality and potential conflicts of interest. Ologunagba asserted that Agu is a direct relative of a national officer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and there have been allegations that she may be influenced to assist the APC in rigging the governorship election in Imo State, scheduled for November 11.
The PDP’s demand for the removal of Prof. Sylvia Agu is part of ongoing efforts by political parties to ensure that the electoral process is transparent, fair, and free from any form of bias or manipulation. The upcoming governorship elections in these states will be closely watched, and the conduct of INEC is expected to play a vital role in determining the credibility of the electoral process.