INEC Denies Excluding Igbos As Ad-hoc Staffs In Lagos

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, has debunked the rumour on social media that it’s has excluded Nigerians from a certain region of the country to serve as Ad-hoc staffs in the forthcoming governoship and State Assembly election in Lagos on Saturday.

The Lagos State INEC, is reacting to news been circulated on social media that the commission has removed all Igbo tribes from participating as ad-hoc staff in Lagos State according to the directives of the Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo Olu.

The commission further refute the claims that Obidients, in Lagos, Sanwo Olu and President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu are in a call with INEC to finalize the rigging of the Lagos State Election.

The Lagos State INEC,made this refutal in a press statement by the Lagos State INEC Head of Department,Voter Education and Publicity Mrs Tadese Adenike on behalf of the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commission on Wednesday.

According to Lagos state INEC, the above alligations is an orchestrated plot to taint the reputation of the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commission Mr Olusegun Agbaje MFR.

THE STATEMENT READS

“INEC LAGOS STATE READ WITH GREAT CONCERN ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA IN RESPECT OF THE REMOVAL OF ALL IGBOS AND SOUTH SOUTH STAFF IN LAGOS STATE FROM PARTICIPATING AS ADHOC STAFF IN THE STATE DURING THE FORTH COMING GOVERNORSHIP/HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ELECTION ON 18TH MARCH, 2023..

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“IT WAS EQUALLY ALLEGED THAT “OBIDIENTS IN LAGOS, SANWO OLU AND TINUBU WERE ON A CALL WITH THE INEC REC, IN LAGOS STATE TO FINALISE RIGGING PLANS FOR THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION”

“IT HAS BECOME IMPERATIVE TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUS ACCUSATIONS IN SOME QUARTERS AND PUT THE RECORD STRAIGHT THAT THE ADHOC STAFE (COLLATION..OFFICERS) ENGAGED DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL / NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION ON 25TH FEBRUARY, 2023 IN LAGOS STATE WERE 738 IN NUMBER BEARING IN MIND THAT THREE ELECTIONS WERE HELD.

“THE FORTH COMING GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION WILL ONLY REQUIRE THE SERVICES OF 427 COLLATION OFFICERS BECAUSE OF THE TWO ELECTIONS INVOLVED.

“IT IS PERTINENT TO STATE UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT MEMBERS OF STAFF THAT ARE IGBOS WERE ALL RETUNRED TO WORK AS COLLATION OFFICERS IN THE FORTH COMING GOVERNORSHIP/HOA ELECTION SCHEDULLED FOR 18TH MARCH, 2023 WHILE THE SPOS MAINTAINED THEIR POSITIONS.

“THE HON, RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER FOR LAGOS STATE MR OLUSEGUN AGBAJE MFR, mni DID NOT AT ANY POINT IN TIME ENGAGE IN ANY TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE THREE CANDIDATES MENTIONED OBIDIENTS, SANWO OLU AND TINUBU IN FACT HE DOES NOT HAVE THEIR TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

“WHOEVER THAT HAS INFORMATION CONCERNING THE DAY AND TIME OF THE SAID TELEPHONE CONVERSATION SHOULD NOT HESITATE TO MAKE IT PUBLIC.

“GOING FROM THE ABOVE FRIVOLOUS ALLEGATIONS IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE ORCHESTRATED STORIES WERE FABRICATED TO IMPUGN INEC AND TAINT THE REPUTATION OF MR OLUSEGUN AGBAJE MFR, mni THE HON RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER INEC LAGOS STATE,

“WITHOUT MINCING WORDS MR. OLUSEGUN AGBAJE MFR, mni IS A MAN OF INTEGRITY, SINCERITY, FULLY COMMITTED AND DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF THE COMMISSION AND THE ENTIRE CITIZENS OF NIGERIA IRRESPECTIVE OF ETHNICITY OR POLITICAL AFFILIATION..

“THE PUBLIC SHOULD SHUN FAKE NEWS, MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION AND ALLOW INEC IN LAGOS STATE TO FOCUS ON THE FORTH COMING ELECTION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULT.

“THE COMMISSION WILL CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY, FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY, CREDIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN LINE WITH THE VISION AND MISSION TO BE A PRE- EMINENT LEADER IN DEEPENING ELECTORAL DEMOCRACY AS AN UNBIASED ELECTION MANAGEMENT BODY..