The Young Progressives Party, YPP, in Akwa Ibom State has raised the alarm over an alleged recruitment of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, members as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adhoc staff for the February 25, governorship election.

Senator Bassey Albert is the governorship candidate of the party in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Uyo, the state chairman of YPP, Dr. Nyeneime Andy claimed that INEC in the state has jettisoned the online recruitment of Adhoc staff as advertised for the forthcoming election and instead received a list submitted to it by the PDP, containing name of beneficiaries of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Entrepreneurship project.

Calling on relevant authorities to investigate the allegation and bring perpetrators to book, Nyeneime warned that if INEC in Akwa Ibom state goes into such open collusion to rig the forthcoming election in the state, the exercise will be a clear case of imposition.

He said: “The latest abnormality is that INEC in the state has jettisoned the online recruitment of Adhoc staff as copiously advertised for the forthcoming general elections and instead blatantly received a list directly from Governor Udom Emmanuel’s led administration.

“Why should INEC accept the recruited PDP personnel and discard those who applied online? We have it on good authority that the list submitted to INEC by PDP contains names of beneficiaries of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Entrepreneurship Ibom 3000 project.

“Why is INEC’s Head of ICT currently working with the agents of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s led administration and his party, the PDP? What does this glaring unholy alliance portend?

“Is INEC not “selling” the election ahead of time to Governor Udom Emmanuel — led administration going by the fact that the personnel, who will be involved in carrying out critical functions in the elections are PDP agents?

“This is a matter that INEC must come clean of in order to earn the trust and confidence of the participating political parties, the electorate, the security agencies and the global community in general in the forthcoming elections.

“Accordingly, it becomes very expedient for the State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC to tell us and other political parties, nay the public, why these undemocratic and reprehensible underhand deals are happening right before his eyes without any punitive action or prosecution whatsoever.

“We therefore call on the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Directorate of Defence Intelligence (DMI), the International Observers and the Embassies in Nigeria to take curious interest in the unfolding electoral misdemeanours in Akwa lbom State. We insist that this should be thoroughly investigated so as to bring the perpetrators to book.

“If INEC in Akwa Ibom State goes into this kind of open collusion to rig the forthcoming elections, then the exercise cannot be called election but imposition. It is certainly not INEC with all the repeated assurances of its National Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, of free and fair elections that should be involved in these evil plots against the electorate of Akwa Ibom State, who earnestly desire to freely choose who they want as their Governor on March 11, 2023 as well as other candidates.

“These acts constitute pollution and cancer, which must not be allowed to spread.”

Nyeneime assured his party members and Akwa Ibom residents that despite efforts to compromise the election, Senator Bassey will win the poll and provide the people-focused leadership the state needs. (Sunday Independent)

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