Emulate IGP, Remove Imo REC, Sylvia Agu Now – PDP Urges INEC Chairman
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to immediately redeploy the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Sylvia Agu to forestall electoral crisis in the Saturday, November 11, 2023 governorship polls.
The call comes on the heels of allegations that Prof Agu has been compromised to manipulate the elections to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the PDP, it is important for the INEC Chairman to emulate the Inspector General of Police (IGP) who, in response to the outcry and demands of the people for neutrality in the governorship election, redeployed the controversial Commissioner of Police in Imo State.
The opposition party said heeding the insistent outcry would be a bold move by Prof. Yakubu to forestall an impending crisis in the Imo State election, adding that the electoral umpire cannot afford to ignore mounting protests by the people of Imo State, Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations as well as Ohaneze Youth Council for the redeployment of the Prof Agu.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said; “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.”
Reminding the INEC Chairman that an election integrity principally lies in the electorate’s confidence in the electoral process, the PDP said; “Prof Sylvia Agu has lost the rectitude as Resident Electoral Commissioner and should not be part of the conduct of the November 11, 2023 governorship election”, warning that; “Her continuing stay in office as Imo REC is vexatious and a recipe for crisis.”
Importantly, the PDP said redeploying Prof Agu from Imo State would restore the people’s confidence and uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
