INEC Speaks On Removing Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner

In respect to the collation of results in the Rivers State Governorship and house of Assembly election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has stated that it would not remove the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga because it does not take directive from anybody.

The director of voter education and publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi stated this while receiving questions from newsmen.

Ahead of the supplementary election, the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, Lanre Issa-Onilu has stated on Sunday that Effanga should be transferred so as not to rig the election in favour of the opposition.

Issa-Onilu alleged that the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, through Effanga, used PDP members as local government area collation officers in the last election.

He stated that if that is not challenged it repeat itself in the forthcoming elections.

Osazi-Uzzi while reacting to the allegation stated that it is prerogative of the commission to move resident electoral commissioners.

He said, “We have been hearing that for a long time, it is not new. Did we change the REC in Akwa Ibom? The prerogative of moving RECs is that of the commission. INEC doesn’t take directive from anybody. If the commission sees the need to move anybody, at the appropriate time, it will do that and if there is no need, it will keep them where they are.”

“It is the complete prerogative of the commission; if and when the need arises, we will make the necessary adjustments. So, we don’t take dictation or pleas from external groups, more so principal players in the game.”

APC in the state also rejected the decision of INEC to resume collation of results in Rivers and Bauchi states.

The electoral body had suspended the collations of the governorship and house of assembly results in the state due to violence.

A court has stopped the initial plan of the commission to collate results in the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of the state.