THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with clarifying allegations that some of the postings and deployments recently carried out by the electoral body may have been “ethnically motivated” and given preference to officials from President Bola Tinubu’s South-West.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said it is in possession of intelligence and “direct complaints” regarding recent personnel changes and redeployments in some of the Commission’s “strategic departments and stations.”

The opposition party said it has received information that several officers from nothern part of the country who had served in departments like Electoral Operations and ICT are being moved away to other departments.

“We have specific names of officers moved from Electoral Operations and ICT in a number of northern states and replaced with officers from Lagos and other South-West states. INEC may dismiss this as routine. But we have noticed a pattern, especially along ethnic lines, and we are concerned,” the party said.

ADC said that while it is not accusing INEC of any “nefarious” plans yet, it believes that any suspicion or allegation that potentially undermines trust in and the credibility of the electoral umpire must not be dismissed lightly.

“Especially if those allegations border on sectional bias that could actively undermine the neutrality of election officials and the Commission’s own impartiality,” the party said.

“Regardless of the Commission’s motives, questions about regional concentration in sensitive departments cannot be brushed aside as routine administrative matters. And concentrating strategic operational appointments in a manner that suggests ethnic or sectional bias to give an advantage to President Tinubu and the APC must not be ignored.”

The ADC urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to publish the postings, selection criteria and reasons for the changes to reassure all citizens in every part of the country that they would be treated fairly and their electoral choice would not be undermined just because they speak a different language or come from another part of the country.

“Allowing such allegations to go without a serious, evidence-based rebuttal could have serious implications for the integrity of the elections,” the party warned.