The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied preventing ad-hoc staff from the south-east and south-south from participating in the Lagos state governorship election this weekend.
Tadese Adenike, HOD of voter education and publicity in Lagos, reacted to the accusation, stating that while 738 ad-hoc staff (collation officers) were engaged during the national elections, the forthcoming governorship and house of assembly will only require the services of 427 collation officers because only two elections are to hold.
Adenike also mentioned that all Igbo staff members returned to work as Collation Officers in the forthcoming elections, while SPO’s (Supervisory Presiding Officers) maintained their positions.
Additionally, Tadese Adenike refuted the claim of Olusegun Agbaje, INEC-REC in Lagos, being in an alliance with some political actors to rig the governorship election in the state.
A statement was released to clear out the air on these claims. The statement read:
“It is pertinent to state unequivocally that members of staff that are Igbos were all returned to work as Collation Officers in the forthcoming elections while SPOs (Supervisory Presiding Officers) maintained their positions.
“Whoever has information concerning the day and time of the said telephone conversation should not hesitate to make it public.
“Going by 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 honourable resident 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 focus on the forthcoming election in order to achieve the desired result.”
