Tension Over Replacement Of INEC National Commissioner For South East

There’s an ongoing conflict regarding who should succeed Festus Okoye as the National Commissioner from the South East zone at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Following the end of Okoye’s five-year tenure, he reportedly shows interest in returning to INEC and has begun lobbying efforts.

Influential groups are pressuring President Bola Tinubu to reappoint him.

Some civil society organizations (CSOs) oppose Okoye’s reappointment, criticizing his management of INEC’s communications during the last elections.

They attribute the widespread misinformation and poor voter education to his leadership.

Certain CSOs and advocates for electoral integrity within the presidential circle favor Professor Chris Ngwu, a Mass Communication expert from Enugu, as a potential replacement for Okoye.

According to Independent, the Presidency faces a challenging decision in this matter.

There’s also a suggestion to rotate the position to Enugu State, Ngwu’s home state, following the pattern of previous appointments. Okoye, from Imo State, had succeeded Prof Ibano from Anambra State.