Peter Okoye, PBA Journalism Mentee
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has denied an allegation that it has removed all ad-hoc staff of Igbo and South-south origin ahead of Saturday’s governorship and State Assembly elections.
The HOD Voter Education and Publicity, LASIEC, Mrs Tadese Adenike, made this known in a press statement released Wednesday night on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Olusegun Agbaje.
The electoral body in Lagos also discredited the claim that the REC had been in conversation with some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and other political party stakeholders in the state, with a view to influencing outcome of the election.
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 ad-hoc staff in the state during the forthcoming governorship/House of Assembly election on 18th March 2023.
“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 ad-hoc staff (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 forthcoming 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 returned to work as collation officers in the forthcoming governorship/HOA election scheduled 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 has information concerning the day and time of the said telephone conversation should not hesitate to make it public,” she stated.
