The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to honour his words of uploading of election results from Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa on the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made the call while addressing a news conference on Sunday in Abuja.
Ologunagba said that the PDP has noted the statement by Yakubu that INEC would make full use of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV portal for uploading and electronic transmission of results in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi governorship election.
“The PDP notes that the INEC chairman has confirmed the use of BVAS and IREV in this election and even in previous election is a mandatory statutory requirement of the law
“The PDP holds Yakubu directly responsible and accountable to his pronouncements and that INEC is bound by law to electronically transmit results directly from the polling units using these technologies.
“The PDP is fully prepared for these elections and in line with the commitment of INEC 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,” Ologunagba said.
Ologunagba to that PDP had commenced training of its polling agents at all levels to ensure total compliance to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Guidelines and Regulations especially as confirmed by Yakubu.
He expressed confidence that the party would win the elections in the three states.
He said that in Bayelsa, the PDP has Gov. Douye Diri, “a miracle and performing governor, who is on the ground and enjoys the overwhelming support of the people.”
He said that in Kogi, the PDP has a very popular candidate, Sen. Dino Melaye’s whose popularity and public acceptance have completely dwarfed and dumbed the rejected APC candidate, Usman Ododo.
In Imo, Ologunagba said that the PDP had a very popular candidate in Sen. Samuel Anyanwu whose popularity and acceptance across the State “have thrown the Gov. Hope Uzodimma and the APC in the State into mortal fear.
“Anyanwu’s mission to Make Imo Safe Again is resonating across the State and overwhelming majority of the people of Imo State are rallying with him to achieve this,” Ologunagba said.
He also reiterated the party demands for the immediate removal of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Prof. Sylvia Agu.
He said that the PDP and other political parties had written several letters to INEC on the demand over allegation that Agu had been compromised.
“Recently the political parties including the PDP, Labout Party, Young Progressives Party (YPP), African Democratic Party (ADC), Action Alliance (AA) among others staged a peaceful protest to INEC demanding for her immediate removal.
“Agu is a relation of a national officer of the APC and there are allegations that she is being further compromised to assist the APC to rig the Nov. 11 governorship election in Imo State
“The continuing stay in office of Agu as Imo REC is provocative, inciting and amount to testing the will of the people of Imo State and daring them to do their worse.
“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 Adamawa State Governorship election where INEC refused to change the compromised REC.
“INEC chairman must note that the integrity of an election process is directly relation to the confidence of the electorate,” he alleged. (NAN