Imo Election: Remove Imo REC, Sylvia Agu to stop crisis – PDP urges INEC

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, has been charged by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with the responsibility of urgently redeploying Prof. Sylvia Agu, the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) suggested that Yakubu should listen to the persistent cries, petitions, and demonstrations by the people of Imo State, political parties, and civil society organisations for the removal of Agu in order to avert an imminent crisis in the election for Imo State.

The party asserted that Agu was reportedly being compromised in order to manipulate the governorship elections that were scheduled to take place on November 11 in Imo State in favour of the incumbent All Progressives Congress, also known as APC.

In a statement that was released on Monday by Debo Ologunagba, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the PDP encouraged the Chairman of INEC to take a cue from the Inspector General of Police, who redeployed the Commissioners of Police in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States in response to the outcry and requests. The statement was made by the PDP.

“Prof. Yakubu should head off an impending crisis in the Imo State election by paying attention to the persistent outcry, petitions, and demonstrations by the people of Imo State, political parties, civil society organisations, and the Ohaneze Youth Council for the removal of the Prof. Sylvia Agu, who has allegedly been compromised by the APC. This would be the best way for Prof. Yakubu to head off the impending crisis.

Given her alleged role in the brazen rigging of the 2023 National and House of Assembly elections in Imo State in favour of the APC, which is still in the public domain, the people of Imo State cannot accept any electoral process with Prof. Agu as REC. “The people of Imo State cannot accept any electoral process with Prof. Agu as REC.

Therefore, the only way to restore confidence in the electoral process, assure a credible election, and prevent a crisis in the state is for Sylvia Agu to be redeployed outside of Imo State.

“This is especially the case because there are very disturbing allegations circulating in the public space about secret meetings between Professor Agu and certain APC agents, which are said to have been facilitated by her close relative, who is an APC national officer, in the days leading up to the governorship election in Imo State on November 11, 2023. “This is especially the case because the allegations have been circulating in the public arena.

A portion of the statement stated, “The PDP calls on the INEC Chairman to note that the integrity of an election principally lies in the confidence of the electorate in the electoral process.”