Kogi IPAC wants REC re-deployed

The Kogi state chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) made up of members of registered political parties has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redeploy the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor James Apam.

The IPAC said the redeployment would be necessary to ensure the integrity of the forthcoming governorship election in the state on November 16, saying if the REC is retained there would be a repeat of election catastrophe.

The group said its members have passed vote-of- no-confident on the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor James Apam because of his alleged shoddy conduct during the last general elections in the state.

The IPAC subsequently said all registered parties have vowed to henceforth boycott all engagements organised by the REC or which involved the REC until the INEC effect the redeployment of Prof Apam.

The IPAC said based on its observation of the performance of the REC in the last general elections, it doubts the competence of the electoral body headed by Prof Apam to live above board in the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in the state.

Accordingly, the IPAC appeals to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s national chairman (INEC), Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, to immediately redeploy the REC out of the state before he causes more election catastrophe.

Speaking at a press conference held in Lokoja Thursday, the spokesman of the group, Mr Frank Kato, alleged that the REC during the last general elections aided and abated the ruling party and their thugs to massively rig the election in favour of APC candidates.

He said even figures fabricated at will from inconclusive polling stations were recorded and strangely presented as valid votes to the state collation centres, and lamented that such results do not represent the popular choice of the electorate.

“In some polling units where election materials were destroyed, the REC accepted concocted election results from the units due to his frequently hibernation with the state government to the utter disregard of desirable decorum of his office,” he stressed.

Further, he alleged that the state INEC under the leadership of Professor Apam as its REC Kogi state PVCs were issued to pre-arranged APC agents who used it to cast votes for the ruling party in the state.

Reacting to the allegations, the REC said he is not aware of his romance with the state government, noting that if the registered political parties in Kogi state have grievances they should come forward so that it can be addressed through dialogue.

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