The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected a request from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remove Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, ahead of the upcoming September 21 governorship election.
The call for Onuoha’s redeployment arose from concerns about his close ties to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, with whom he shares a familial relationship. This connection led Governor Godwin Obaseki and the PDP to fear potential bias in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a formal protest, Edo State PDP Chairman Anthony Aziegbemhin submitted a letter to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, raising concerns about Onuoha’s ability to remain impartial during the electoral process.
However, INEC has firmly stood by its decision to retain Onuoha in his role. INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, emphasized that the outcome of the election would be determined by the voting process itself, not by the office of the REC.
“The REC for Edo State will not be redeployed,” Oyekanmi stated. He assured that the election will be conducted across 4,519 polling units and that the results would be transparently handled.
Polling unit results, he explained, will be declared by Presiding Officers, with accredited party agents and stakeholders present. These results will also be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for transparency, though this does not constitute electronic voting or transmission.
“The Nigerian constitution does not yet recognize electronic voting,” Oyekanmi noted, but added that the IReV platform is designed to ensure transparency in the process.
It is also worth noting that the PDP had previously refused to sign the peace accord for the election, reflecting ongoing tensions in the lead-up to the vote.
