A civil society organisation, Nigeria’s Voters Watch, has called for the removal the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, because of a statement credited to him recently has portrayed him as biased and partisan.
Addressing journalists in Lagos, leaders of the group, Dr. Stella Ford and Ms Marie Orgah, noted that in view of many disturbing utterances attributed to the Lagos State REC, they urged the INEC National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to remove Mr. Agbaje immediately, and prevent him from presiding over the affairs of the forthcoming 2023 elections in Lagos State.
Ms Orgah said the state REC needed to be excused from participating in the elections “either by suspending him or terminating his appointment outrightly with immediate effect, to curtail and minimize the damages he has caused already by sowing the seeds of bias, bigotry and doubt in the public.”
The Lagos State REC at a programme on Channels Television described most the people who have not got their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as immigrants, who came from Sout-East to Lagos, accusing some of them of registering twice.
Moreso he said contract of moving electoral materials was given out to Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group noted that given such scenarios, Agbaje cannot supritend a credible election in the State.
The group also noted that the 240 polling units where election will not hold based on the excuse given by INEC that the polling units did not have registered voters may not be correct, adding that some potential voters might have been affected by the step INEC took and there was the need for INEC to educate the voters on the changes that took place and how they can locate their new polling units.
The group urged the commission to make necessary arrangement for safety and security of voters because of threats and physical injuries already meted out to some potential voters during political party campaigns.
Dr. Ford added that safety and security of votes cast on election day is very much important, and that is why INEC should, as a matter of urgency, withdraw any arrangement regarding the transportation of voting materials from private interested individuals in Lagos and nationwide.
She added that, threat issued to members of the opposition parties by supporters of APC should not be taken lightly, adding that “safety of voters after election. The disturbing voicemail that has reached us and many people, including members of the press and law enforcement agencies were elected and appointive APC members threaten their neighbors even with physical removal from Lagos if they failed to vote APC, should be taken very seriously.
“Information reaching us is that the law enforcement agencies are looking into the matter. We urge that prompt prosecution should be commenced,” Dr Ford said.
The group, therefore, urged the international community to consider revoking visas of such political leaders and deny them entry to the civilized world.
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