The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed allegations of partisanship in the conduct of the supplementary elections in Adamawa State.
A statement by the National Commissioner (Information and Voter Education), Festus Okoye, dismissed claims that it’s officials held a meeting with officials of the Adamawa State government inside the Government House where a list of presiding officers was drawn up for the election.
The statement reads,
“…there were no visits or meetings, let alone the compilation of any purported list of collation and returning officers. Such a meeting would have been contrary to the oath of neutrality that we all swore to.
“Moreover, every conscientious observer would have noticed that the Commission appointed and retained only one Returning Officer for the governorship election, who also doubled as the State Collation Officer for the Presidential Election (SCOPE).
“Like all Returning Officers nationwide, he was issued with a letter of appointment by the Commission and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State was duly informed. The list of Collation Officers was personally endorsed by chairman of the commission well ahead of the arrival of the National Commissioners.
“The statement also created the impression that the national headquarters of the Commission specifically targeted Adamawa State in its deployment of National Commissioners and other officials to influence the outcome of the Saturday April 25 supplementary election. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
“For the record, it has been the standard policy and practice of the Commission to deploy National Commissioners, RECs and other staff from the headquarters or neighbouring states for supplementary or off-cycle elections where doing so is considered necessary. In the case of Adamawa where supplementary governorship election was held in 69 polling units, two National Commissioners were deployed, while for Kebbi State, involving 142 polling units, three National Commissioners were deployed.
“One National Commissioner each was deployed in Sokoto, Zamfara, Imo, Rivers, Ekiti and Ogun states. This has been the standard practice where all RECs are informed in advance. Therefore, Adamawa was not specifically targeted. In other states, the RECs worked cooperatively with the National Commissioners except in Adamawa for reasons that are now obvious to all.
“The public is advised to discountenance these insinuations as nothing more than claptrap. We also advise those behind the mischief to desist forthwith as such fabrications have endangered the lives of our officials (both ad hoc and regular) engaged in legitimate election duties. We expect well-meaning citizens to act within the bounds of propriety and decency.”