The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman has been urged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to keep his promise to upload the election results from Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa to the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s national publicity secretary, made the demand during a press conference on Sunday in Abuja.
The PDP, according to Ologunagba, has taken note of Yakubu’s declaration that INEC would make full use of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV site for the uploading and electronic transmission of results in the governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi.
The PDP takes note of the INEC chairman’s confirmation that the use of BVAS and IREV in this election, as well as in past elections, is a required legal necessity.
“The PDP holds Yakubu directly accountable and liable for his statements, adding that INEC is required by law to use these technology to electronically transfer results immediately from the polling places.
“The PDP is fully prepared for these elections, and in line with INEC’s commitment, will not accept any other means of transmitting results in these elections except as this manner pronounced by the INEC Chairman in line with requirement of Electoral Act, 2022,” said Ologunagba.
He continued by saying that the PDP has started training all of its polling agents in accordance with Yakubu’s confirmation and the requirements of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, and INEC guidelines and regulations.
He expressed certainty that the party would triumph in the three states’ elections.
He claimed that Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa, the PDP, is “a miracle and performing governor, who is on the ground and enjoys the overwhelming support of the people.”
He claimed that Usman Ododo, the APC candidate who was rejected, had been absolutely dwarfed and degraded by Sen. Dino Melaye, a very popular candidate for the PDP in Kogi.
Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, a very well-liked candidate for the PDP in Imo, “have thrown the Governor Hope Uzodimma and the APC in the State into mortal fear,” according to Ologunagba.
“Anyanwu’s mission to Make Imo Safe Again is resonating across the State, and the overwhelming majority of the people of Imo State are rallying with him to achieve this,” Ologunagba added.
Additionally, he reaffirmed the party’s demands for Prof. Sylvia Agu’s immediate resignation as the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo.
He claimed that multiple letters to INEC on the claim that Agu had been tainted had been sent by the PDP and other political parties.
“Recently, political parties demanded her immediate dismissal in a peaceful demonstration at INEC, including the PDP, Labour Party, Young Progressives Party (YPP), African Democratic Party (ADC), and Action Alliance (AA), among others.
Agu is alleged to be further compromised in order to help the APC rig the November 11 governorship election in Imo State since she is related to an APC national officer.
“Agu’s continued tenure as Imo REC is provocative, incendiary, and amounts to challenging the people of Imo State’s resolve and daring them to act in the worst way possible.
“INEC has a lot of RECs from which the INEC Chairman can choose to replace Agu and avoid a scenario that could be worse than what happened in the Adamawa State Governorship election where INEC refused to change the compromised REC,” the individual added.