INEC, NCP Disagree Over Replacement Of Presiding Officers

INEC, NCP Disagree Over Replacement Of Presiding Officers 

By Sodiq Adekunle 

  3:21 pmMarch 27, 20150 

The National Conscience Party (NCP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of plotting to substitute and replace presiding officers who are corps members with non-corps members. 

The party said this in a petition addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Osogbo.

 In the petition, NCP alleged that the replacement and substitution of names of Corps Members were directed from the National Secretariat of INEC in Abuja. 

The petition which was dated 25th March 2015 and signed by its State Chairman, Gideon Fasorepo linked the alleged ploy to manipulation of the forthcoming presidential and National Assembly election.‎ 

The petition read in part, "The attention of our party has been drawn to the illegal and unwarranted substitution/replacement of Presiding Officers on order from Abuja with non-corps members. We have it on good authority that this is part of an elaborate plot to manipulate the Presidential and National Assembly Election. 

"This action is a clear design to truncate our nascent democracy as it runs counter to the laid down rules and regulations governing the smooth conduct of election. We hereby warn those responsible to desist forthwith as we will use everything within our power to mobilise against the unfair treatment to parties. 

"As a party committed to credible elections in which all votes must count, we requested INEC to adhere strictly to the electoral regulations especially as regards the appointment and deployment of Presiding and Assistant Presiding Officers." 

In a swift reaction, the State REC, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola debunked the allegation, saying that those that were replaced were Batch 'A' corps members who have completed their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) one year mandatory programme. 

Ogunmola noted that "the issue has been raised at the stakeholders meeting held with party leaders on Tuesday and explanation have been offered to the party leaders on the need to replace the affected corps members so as not be short of adhoc staff." ‎ 

Read more at: http://dailytimes.com.ng/inec-ncp-disagree-replacement-presiding-officers/

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Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE

Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner