Imo guber: PDP insists on removal of Sylvia Agu as state’s REC

• Says that will ensure INEC’s integrity, neutrality

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has insisted that the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Imo State, Professor Sylvia Agu is the only way of ensuring free, fair, transparent and credible poll in the Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

The PDP said this on Tuesday at a press conference addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.

This is as the party expressed the firm optimism that its governorship candidate, Senator Sam Anyanwu will emerge victorious in the election.

The party specifically told the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu not to succumb to the alleged pressure from the All Progressives Congress, APC, especially from an APC national officer said to be related to Prof. Sylvia Agu, in retaining the REC in the State for the governorship election of Saturday.

The leading opposition party pointed out that it is in the interest of Prof. Agu to recuse herself from participating, supervising or superintending the Saturday, November 11, election in Imo State.

The PDP said that it believes that the INEC Chairman knows the implication of any attempt to compromise election in a State like Imo, adding “he should heed the voice of reason and redeploy Prof Agu immediately”.

According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, “The PDP, the people of Imo State, CSO, traditional institutions, youth groups etc in Imo have consistently demanded for the removal of Prof. Sylvia Agu as Imo REC.

“Less than four days to the election, the INEC Chairman has not redeployed Prof. Sylvia Agu despite the widespread outcry.

“This is despite the lead provided by the IGP.

“Information available to us indicates that INEC had held several meetings on the Imo election and that preponderance of opinion in INEC was that it was imperative that Prof. Sylvia Agu should be redeployed in order to maintain the integrity and neutrality of INEC.

“The INEC Chairman should not succumb to the alleged pressure from the APC, especially from an APC national officer said to be related to Prof. Sylvia Agu.

“It is in the interest of Prof. Agu to recuse herself from participating, supervising or superintending the Saturday, November 11, election in Imo State

“The PDP is aware of Prof. Agu’s mission which is to compromise and manipulate the election in favour of the APC, having regards to her antecedent in previous elections.

“The PDP wants to state that our Party and Candidate are winning the Imo election and we and the people of Imo State will never fold our hands and watch the election manipulated by anybody whatsoever.

The PDP believes that the INEC Chairman knows the implication of any attempt to compromise election in a State like Imo. He should heed the voice of reason and redeploy Prof Agu immediately”, he said.