The All Progressives Congress (APC) Kogi State chapter, on Wednesday night, accused the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner of colluding with the Social Democratic Celebration (SDP) and its candidate to tamper with, compromise, and destroy electoral supplies used within the concluded November 11, 2023, Kogi Governorship Election.
This info was contained in a press release issued on Wednesday, signed by Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the Spokesperson/Director of Media and Publicity to the APC Kogi State Governor-elect.
The assertion reads as follows: “Our consideration has been drawn to strikes by the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Kogi State, Mr. Hale Gabriel Longpet, to help the Social Democratic Celebration in compromising, tampering with, or destroying electoral supplies used within the concluded November 11, 2023, Governorship Elections in Kogi State.
“Will probably be recalled that the Social Democratic Celebration and its Candidate obtained an Ex-parte Order of the Tribunal on the twenty fifth day of November 2023, directing INEC to, amongst different issues, permit an inspection of electoral supplies used for the Governorship Election for the aim of helping the SDP and its Candidate institute and preserve a Petition, which on the time had not been filed. INEC was given solely 48 hours to adjust to the mentioned orders, which embody all types, registers, consequence sheets, poll papers, and BVAS machines.
“Upon being served with the Order on the twenty seventh day of November 2023, INEC filed a Movement earlier than the Tribunal on the twenty ninth day of November 2023, praying the Court docket to put aside the mentioned Orders, contending that the Tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to make the mentioned Orders and for different causes comparable to obvious contradictions within the mentioned Ex-parte Order. That Movement to put aside, dated and filed on 29/11/2023, is to our data nonetheless earlier than the Tribunal because it has not been heard.
“It should even be famous that, thus far, the mentioned Order for inspection granted on 25/11/2023 has not been served on the winner of that election, Alhaji Usman Ododo, and the APC who’re listed as events within the mentioned Order of Court docket. Most significantly, the Petition in respect of which the order of inspection was initially sought and granted was filed on the 2nd of December 2023, with the SDP and its candidate admitting at paragraph 92 of the contentious Petition that INEC had given them paperwork contained within the Order, which included Voters Register, BVAS Accreditation Experiences, and Outcome Sheets.
“With the above background in thoughts, It’s, due to this fact, surprising to be taught that the REC of INEC in Kogi State, who works for a physique that has requested a Court docket to put aside the Ex-parte Order for inspection it made, is now organizing an inspection train in Abuja for the SDP and its Candidate, an train which is totally and financially sponsored by the SDP and its candidate. Particularly, the REC despatched out the next messages to affected Employees of INEC in Kogi State: “Good night everybody and compliments of the season. “I’ve simply been contacted by the authorized staff of the SDP concerning the inspection of the election supplies for the November eleventh Governorship Election. “They mentioned that they’d communicated to the Fee that they want to begin the inspection with Adavi, Okehi, and Okene. “They’re able to be answerable for the logistics and lodging of the EOs and the HOD EOPs and ICT who should be on the Inspection as directed. “Please convey this info to the affected officers. As for the logistics, Barrister Olowo who has been coping with us will present the funds. “Please be sure that all officers and HODs talked about are in attendance for the inspection. Admin Sec. Co-ordinate. Thanks.” REC.
He talked about that the message was adopted up by one other request despatched on the occasion of the REC as follows: “In keeping with the above, I’ve been directed to tell the HODs (Ops&ICT) HoU Logistics and Electoral officers of Adavi, Okehi, and Okene LGA to avail themselves on the Fee’s Headquarters, Abuja, on 4th Jan 2024, for the inspection, scheduled to carry by 9 am to six pm. “Please deal with this as pressing.” HoD Authorized Companies For: REC
In keeping with him, the above messages little question present the desperation of the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, who has been closely compromised by the Social Democratic Celebration, its Candidate, and their cohorts. It’s clear that the SDP and its Candidate, who claimed to have filed their Petition, have an ulterior motive concerning the election supplies used for the conduct of the November 11 Governorship Election in Kogi State, and the REC Kogi State, who’s on their payroll, is keen and able to help them to tamper with these supplies.
“The REC, by the above message, is keen to compromise different workers of INEC by permitting the SDP to pay for his or her transportation, lodging, and different logistics for an project that must be an official project. The Regulation that units up and regulates the actions of INEC doesn’t confer on INEC’s authorized opponents to fund INEC’s official assignments.
“The above message from the REC has clearly proven that he’s no umpire and that he’s now not worthy of the place of a REC as he has been closely compromised even earlier than this train, as he has a longtime monetary relationship with the SDP and its candidate who’ve been coping with him via the mentioned Barrister Olowo.
“It’s unlucky that the REC in control of Kogi State has determined to soil his fingers in a case whose legality of submitting continues to be in competition until date. He has clearly failed the check of impartiality and integrity and has clearly misrepresented the the Aristocracy of INEC.
“At this level, we name on the Chairman and Administration of INEC to right away halt any inspection of electoral supplies used within the November 11, 2023, Governorship Election in Kogi State pending the dedication of the Movement on Discover filed by INEC and others to set the Order of inspection apart.
“To start disciplinary processes towards the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Kogi State, Mr. Longpet, having been closely compromised by the SDP and its Candidate. The message from the REC is an admission of graft by him and a remaining nail in his fraudulent actions within the State. He has clearly misrepresented the integrity and authorized curiosity of INEC. Droop or redeploy the REC from Kogi State pending the result of the disciplinary course of towards him. Finish.”