The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5 governorship election, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Sunday alleged that a senior member of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state is an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking through his campaign team, Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), the former governor said he had been inundated with calls about a particular member of the commission who is sympathetic to the aspirations of PDP.
SICO in a statement signed by its Publicity Director, Chief Nathan Egba, said the INEC official whose name was not mentioned worked closely with the appointees of the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, in the last National Assembly and House of Assembly elections.
Egba said: “We have been inundated with calls and reports about a particular senior member of the commission in the state headquarters who is a PDP agent because of the role he played in the last Presidential, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections by working closely with appointees of Governor Dickson.”
He also asked INEC to follow the laid down rules in the accreditation of election monitors and observers for the election.
He added: “This is coming on the heels of the purported public endorsement of Governor Seriake Dickson of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for another term by over 400 Non-Governmental Organisations in the state.
“We urge INEC to be wary of such NGOs that had become political and publicly identify with a particular candidate in the election.
“The APC had obtained the comprehensive list of the NGOs and called on INEC not to make mistake in considering applications from any of their members to serve as either monitors or observers in the December 5 election.
“While our campaign organisation is irrevocably committed to ensuring peaceful and credible poll, the electoral body must also purge some of its staff and personnel who are believed to be showing sympathy to the ruling party in the state.”
