Chieftains of the Labour Party have called for the immediate redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Imo State, Sylvia Agu.
Protesting at the INEC’s headquarters in Owerri, the state capital, the enraged LP chieftains said that Agu had not conducted herself in such a manner that showed that the electoral umpire would conduct a credible governorship election in the state on November 11.
Leading the protesters, the LP chairman in the state, Callistus Ihejiagwa, said that the party was demanding nothing but a credible election in the state on November 11.
Ihejiagwa flayed the role INEC played during the state House of Assembly elections in the state in March which produced 25 All Progressives Congress candidates as winners out of the 27 LGAs in the state.
The LP chairman said that the only way to ensure a credible governorship election in the state on November 11 was for the commission to immediately redeploy its REC in the state.
The LP chairman insisted, “The party is no longer comfortable with the current REC in the State following what we observed during the House of Assembly Election where INEC guidelines were not followed.
“What we are demanding is very simple, remove the REC and follow the electoral guidelines stipulated by you. We are tired of politicians occupying leadership positions through the backdoor. Enough is enough.”
He maintained that the party would continue to be peaceful and would also continue to demand for the right things to be done for the betterment of the State.
Responding on behalf of the commission, the head of voters education in the INEC office in the state, Emmanuella Opara, said that she liked the way the protesters conducted themselves and reassured the party of the commission’s readiness to conduct a peaceful and transparent election in the state on November 11.