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INEC frowns at Police invitation of Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed reservation at Police invitation of its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Edo State.
INEC said media reports had it that the Edo REC, Dr Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem had been invited and detained by the Edo State Police Command on Thursday, July 28, “in connection with matters arising from the recent primaries conducted by a political party in the state”.
However, contrary to the said media reports, INEC said that Sinikiem was neither detained by the police “nor is he personally under investigation as media reports suggested”.
The Commission in a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Friday, said whereas it welcomed police clarification that the Edo REC was only invited to clarify some “technical issues” with regard to the Commission’s processes, any other officer detailed by the REC could have done same.
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“Alternatively, a visit to our State Office by the Commissioner of Police or his assigned representative could have achieved the same goal as has been the tradition in our collaborative relationship with security agencies.
“For emphasis, our REC in Edo State, Dr Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, is a conscientious public officer and co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) at State level. He was the sitting REC when the last Governorship election was conducted in Edo State on 19th September 2020, which was adjudged to be free, fair and credible.
“Any action capable of creating the impression of harassment of our officials or infringement of the independence of the Commission must be avoided, especially at this critical period of our preparations for the 2023 General Election,” Okoye said in his statement.
