Chieftains of the Labour Party (LP) have called for the immediate reassignment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State, Sylvia Agu.
In a protest held at INEC’s headquarters in Owerri, the state capital, the aggrieved LP leaders expressed concerns about Agu’s conduct, which they believe raises doubts about her ability to oversee a credible governorship election scheduled for November 11 in the state.
Leading the demonstrators, the LP chairman in the state, Callistus Ihejiagwa, emphasized the party’s demand for a transparent election process. Ihejiagwa criticized INEC’s role in the state House of Assembly elections held in March, where 25 candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) were declared winners out of the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.
The LP chairman asserted that the only way to ensure a credible governorship election in the state on November 11 was the immediate reassignment of the current REC in the state.
The LP chairman said “The party is no longer comfortable with the current REC in the State following what what we observed during the House of Assembly Election where INEC guidelines were not followed.
“What we are demanding is very simple, remove the REC and follow the electoral guidelines stipulated by you.We are tired of politicians occupying leadership positions through the backdoor. Enough is enough.”
The LP chairman emphasized the party’s commitment to peaceful means and its determination to advocate for the betterment of the state through legitimate channels.
In response to the protest, Emmanuella Opara, the Head of Voters Education at the INEC office in the state, commended the peaceful conduct of the demonstrators.
She assured the LP that INEC is fully prepared to conduct a transparent and peaceful election in the state on November 11. Opara reaffirmed the commission’s unwavering commitment to ensuring credible polls and emphasized that all political parties participating in the election would be given a fair and level playing field.