OWERRI—The leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, and Imo State Government have accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the state, Dr. Gabriel Adah, of partisanship.
While the APC said it had lost confidence in the ability of the REC to remain impartial during the forthcoming supplementary election in the state, Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration accused him of being a card carrying member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Addressing a press conference on behalf of the APC in Owerri, the Director General of Rochas Campaign Organization, Mr. Iheukwumere Alaribe, said: “For the integrity of the electoral system to be protected ahead of Imo governorship and House of Assembly supplementary elections, the Resident Electoral Commissioner should be removed for being biased.”
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He said the REC inflated the figures where the supplementary elections would be held in order to justify the need for a supplementary election.
“The REC is the major challenge facing the party. He is the obstacle towards the victory of APC in the state,’’ he said.
The state government on its part said: “Dr. Adah was never qualified for the position he is now occupying because he is a card-carrying member of the PDP.”
The government’s position, which was signed by Okorocha’s media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, also disclosed that Dr. Adah was former speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly and was sent to Imo State to do a hatchet job for the PDP.
“We had this information on Dr. Adah even before the election, but on our part, we had believed that even when he was sent to work for a particular candidate and party, he could also be guided by wisdom to do the right things.
‘’But we have discovered that he has failed or refused to exercise the wisdom that mostly goes with age and experiences in life,” Onwuemeodo said.
Okorocha’s media aide alleged that the Returning Officer for Ezinihitte Mbaise doctored the result of the election in INEC Office, Owerri, by allocating 48,844 votes to the PDP, adding that it took the alarm raised by the APC agents to force the REC to order for the result sheets of the LGA to be looked at again.
The government called on INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to investigate the activities and conduct of Dr. Adah as the REC in the state and look into the allegations against him for necessary actions by the commission. (Vanguard)
