PDP accuses REC of colluding with APC

Our Reporter

THE People’s Democratic Party Campaign Organisation in Bayelsa State has urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to call on the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Monday Udoh, to prevent giving the electoral body a bad name.

The call follows the shocking discovery that the commission has published a list of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), which was handed over to them by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a desperate bid to rig the governorship election slated for November 16.

Addressing reporters in Yenagoa, the Director, Media and Publicity of the Senator Douye Diri Campaign Organisation, Dr. Jonathan Obuebite, said the APC contracted the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, to supply the APC members as SPOs to subvert the election.

Obuebite called on the INEC national chairman to prevail on the REC to withdraw the list without delay in the interest of peace and engage the services of neutral and credible SPOs from institutions outside the state.

He said the electoral body has a responsibility to assure Bayelsa people by its actions that it was prepared to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

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“Bayelsans and Nigerians have seen that with what has just happened, the APC is not ready for a free, fair and credible election, but I am not surprised because they have a penchant for illicit behaviour during electioneering period.

“All they have always been known for is to truncate, undermine and subvert the will of the people.

“I therefore call on the INEC chairman to caution the  Bayelsa State REC  as it is glaring that his relationship with the APC to work against the PDP will further tarnish  the reputation of INEC.

“I also call on the international community and all security agencies to be aware of what the REC in Bayelsa State is doing to jeopardise the forthcoming governorship election.

“I can recall that during the last general election, this same REC was seen in the same car with Mr. Dennis Otiotio, a leader of the APC, and they drove to Bassambiri where electoral materials and personnel were hijacked and the results written in a hotel,” he alleged.

Obuebite added that the PDP is demanding the immediate removal of the state REC, who, according to him, has lost credibility, having shown an unacceptable level of bias to carry out a free, fair and credible election.

He stressed that the REC has portrayed himself as a man lacking in integrity and underserving of the sensitive responsibility put on his shoulders.

He appealed to INEC to deploy RECs and commissioners of proven integrity with a reputation for impartiality and competence for the election, rather than the APC RECs  doing the dirty jobs of smearing the image of the commission.