Edo election: INEC rejects PDP’s call to redeploy Wike’s cousin as REC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) call to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha.

Ahead of the state September 21 governorship election in Edo, PDP had requested that INEC redeploy Onuoha due to his relationship with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is a PDP member but was appointed as minister under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by President Bola Tinubu.

PDP alleged that the REC is Wike’s associate, stating that “With the antecedents between these two, we are not comfortable that the Edo REC will conduct himself creditably before, during and after the election. The ties between these two are too close to ignore as they share familiarities and are also close associates.”

Wike acknowledged that the REC is his “cousin,” but claimed that even the INEC chairperson cannot influence the REC’s decision.

The minister also stated that he will not support the PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who is backed by outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“I told them when they came to me that I am not going to support you, neither am I going to support anybody. The one I supported, it never helped anything. Rather I was insulted. I supported him the last time, what happened? I became a stupid man,” Wike said.

However, INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, dismissed the PDP’s concerns, stating that the REC would not be redeployed.

INEC said that the election’s outcome would be determined by the voters, not the REC, and urged the PDP to focus on the process rather than Onuoha.

“The REC for Edo State will not be redeployed. The governorship election will be conducted on 21st September 2024 in 4,519 polling units, not in the REC’s office,” INEC said.

“In the same manner, polling unit results will be declared by the respective Presiding Officers after the voting, ballot sorting and counting processes, in the presence of accredited party agents and other stakeholders.

“The PO will also take a picture of the PU result in each polling unit with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and upload the same to the INEC Result Viewing portal. This process is not the same as electronic voting or electronic transmission and collation of results.

“The IReV is for transparency purposes. The Nigerian constitution does not yet recognise electronic voting. Copies of the PU results will be given to accredited party agents.”