C-River REC’s Resignation: INEC Insists On Due Process
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is insisting that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Cross River State, Mr Frankland Briyai, did not follow due process in resigning from his position to join partisan politics.
Describing the action as unacceptable, the electoral umpire said though Briyai has every right to join any political party of his choice and to contest election, the route he took in publicly declaring his intention failed to comply with due process.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening of a National Strategy Meeting on Capturing Disaggregated Data of Persons with Disabilities, Okoye said; “What happened was that our REC in Cross River did not forward any letter to any of the appointing authorities.
“He did not have any communication with the supervising National Commissioner, the Chairman of the Commission, but organised a send-off party for himself on August 8, 2019
“He announced that he had joined partisan politics and announced that he had formally joined one of the registered political parties.”
Acknowledging that Briyai breached all known rules and code of conduct for INEC officials, Barrister Okoye said; “We consider this unacceptable; we have a code of conduct that binds every national commissioner and REC. We cannot be partisan and at the same time be umpires.”
The INEC National Commissioner said contrary to reports that Briyai has been sacked from office, the Commission only withdrew the powers conferred on him as a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Cross River State.
Okoye further said: “the truth is that the commission does not have the power to sack or dismiss any REC because it is not the appointing authority.”
He explained that being direct appointees of the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate, all RECs can only be removed through the same process.
On the current status of the embattled REC, Okoye stated thus; “Since Briyai has compromised his independence, we have removed all the powers given to him by the commission.
“All those powers now reside with the Administrative Secretary in the state.”
