Guber poll: INEC denies removing Igbo, South-south from election duties
The Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, has said that it did not strike Igbo and South South individuals’ names from the list of ad hoc employees for Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections in Lagos State.
Rumors circulating on social media, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), claim that the electoral umpire in Lagos has relieved all Igbo and South-South workers of sensitive election-related duties for the March 18 polls.
In a statement released on Wednesday night by Mrs. Adenike Tadese, Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos State, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, responded, calling the claims false news that should be disregarded.
Agbaje said: “INEC, Lagos State, read with great surprise and concern on the social media in respect of the removal of all Igbos and South-South staff in Lagos State from participating as ad hoc staff in the state during the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections on March 18.
“It has become imperative to correct the erroneous accusations in some quarters and put the record straight that the Ad hoc staff (Collation Officers) engaged during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on February 25 in Lagos State were 738 in number, bearing in mind that three elections were held.
Read Also: INEC Accuses Pat Utomi Of Invading Lagos Office, Holding Illegal Press Conference
“The forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly will only require the services of 427 Collation Officers because only two elections are involved.
“It is pertinent to state unequivocally that members of staff that are Igbos were all returned to work as Collation Officers in the forthcoming elections while SPOs (Supervisory Presiding Officers) maintained their positions.”
Agbaje said that he did not at any point in time engage in any phone conversation with the “Obidients, Sanwo-Olu and Tinubu.”
According to him, in fact, he does not have their telephone numbers.
Agbaje added: “Whoever has information concerning the day and time of the said telephone conversation should not hesitate to make it public.”.
He urged members of the public to shun fake news, misinformation and disinformation and allow INEC in Lagos to focus on the forthcoming elections in order to achieve the desired results.
“The commission will continue to uphold the fundamental principles of equity, fairness, transparency, credibility and accountability in line with the vision and mission to be a pre-eminent leader in deepening electoral democracy as an unbiased election management body,” he said.
Guber poll: INEC denies removing Igbo, South-south from election duties
