INEC officials at the Ogoja bye elections
PDP accuses INEC of compromising Ogoja/Yala by-election in Cross River
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of compromising in the Saturday, February 26 by-election for the Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency.
State party chairman, Venatius Ikem made this known in Calabar while rejecting the outcome of the exercise.
The party also called for an investigation into the activities of INEC’s National Commissioner Festus Okoye and called for his investigation.
In his words, “Even before the election commenced on that fateful day some of our vigilant agents in Yala detected a staff of INEC Cross River State who was trying to smuggle in a BVAS machine that was not amongst those accredited for the election.
“The said staff was said to have taken to his heels and disappeared throughout the election.
“We demand that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Cross River State must produce him because this incident was brought to his attention.
“It is remarkable that in the process of confirming materials prior to the election, 5 BVAS machines were recorded missing, which they later claimed were ‘forgotten’ in the process of loading them from Calabar.
“We further demand that the INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye who supervised the election is the perpetuator of the atrocious acts from INEC officials.
“It is noteworthy that Mr. Okoye has made Cross River State his permanent supervision point because he is in cohort with Governor Ayade in his desperation to subvert the electoral process in the state”, he said.
The party also accused the state governor Professor Ben Ayade of using his CSO, CSP Anyogo and ADC SP Ibrahim to unleash mayhem on voters.
They also called for the disbandment special units under the governor’s office which was used to operate against the country’s constitution.
“While the official police ostensibly is their job under the command of CP Aminu Alhassan, the unofficial police under the control of the governor’s CSO, CSP Anyogo and ADC, SP Ibrahim unleashed mayhem in voters when their men embedded with thugs and Governor Ayade’s appointees under their cover snatched ballot boxes and other materials at will.
“We demand an immediate disbandment of these special units which are being abused because they are not answerable to the regular police command in the state.
“We cannot under the guise of special duties arm and operate a police force against the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria”, the party demanded.
