• Demands cooperation from staff, hails BVAS for credible, free, fair polls
A new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assumed duties in Imo State. She is Prof. Sylvia Agu.

Agu, a professor of administration in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), took over from Prof. Francis Ezeonu, whose tenure expired in July.

Agu is among 19 newly sworn in RECs on November 3, by INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

According to a statement issued, yesterday, by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Commission in the state, Dr. Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji, the new REC was received by the Administrative Secretary of the electoral agency in the state, Thomas Ongele, a lawyer, and other management staff members, promising to leverage on the new voting technology device, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS), to superintend over a “credible, free and fair” transmission of results in next year’s polls and beyond.

She urged workers of the Commission in the 27 councils and headquarters in Owerri, to cooperate with her by giving her maximum support and loyalty.

According to the statement, the new REC promised to carry the workers along.

The statement reads: “Agu lauded efforts of the Commission for putting in place many technological innovations towards achieving free, fair and credible elections, especially with the use of BVAS and electronic transmission of results to INEC results viewing portal, even as she hopes to get maximum cooperation from staff members.”