LP Demands Redeployment, Blacklisting Of Lagos REC Over Distribution of Election Materials
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Labour Party (LP) on Monday called on for the deployment and blacklisting of the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje for alleged bias.
It also dispelled the report that the South West LP had collapsed into the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that all the names listed in the report had not been associated with the party in the last six months.
The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation Director General, Balogun Akin Osuntokun at a press conference in Abuja said the signals from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were disturbing.
Osuntokun noted that the Commission failed to deny the report that it was planning to engage the services of the Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee headed by Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, for the distribution of sensitive election materials for the February 25 presidential election in the state.
He said this was because Oluomo had always been known to be a party loyalist therefore, it would be controversial for INEC to entrust the conveyance of election materials into the hands of agents of an interested political party in Lagos.
“This is reprehensible and unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria’s electoral and political history.
“Speculation and rumours emerged that INEC had engaged the services of Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee, led by Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, a member of the APC PCC in the distribution of sensitive election materials in the forthcoming presidential election in Lagos.
“We initially took the allegation with a pinch of salt, believing that INEC was conscious of red lines in these elections and that common sense and logic would not permit such arbitrariness.
“However, as days passed by, it became clear to us that the news report was correct, especially as the explanation given by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC Director of Information and Voter Education, does not go far enough in refuting this association,” he said.
Osuntokun added: “Our fears are indeed reinforced by the recent action of INEC in endorsing, via their official Twitter handle, a tweet, wherein the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, was maligned by another Presidential candidate.”
He said that in light of the above, INEC should reconsider using Oluomo since the people have raised issues against him.
He urged INEC to remember that it must always remain above suspicion, transparent and professional, more so in this election of so much public hope and so much public trust.
” In building the requisite public confidence, INEC must, as a matter of fact, leave no room for doubt or for repetitive malfeasance, by any staff or official, whose professional ability, partiality and moral rectitude have already given reasonable cause for alarm.
“We wish to remind INEC that this a very important election, in which the people have not only demonstrated so much participatory interest, but also the will to ensure that things are done right,” he said.
Osuntokun said LP would continue to toe the path of propriety, discipline and fair play, but would also remain unwavering in insisting on a truly free and fair election.
This is as he also called on security agencies to stop attacks on its supporters in Lagos State.
He said that the campaign team received with shock, reports of multiple attacks on supporters of the party especially as they were heading for its Mega Rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos on Saturday.
According to him, LP supporters were also attacked in other locations across the country resulting in death and injuries, destruction of vehicles, and theft of personal items.
Hear him, “We call on the Inspector General of Police, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the Department of State Services, the Civil Defence Force and all security agencies, to deploy intelligence and reinforcements all over Lagos.
“It should also extend to all other potential flashpoints and locations across the country, immediately, as the election season is already underway.
“These dastardly acts must be checked and the perpetrators and their sponsors arrested forthwith.
“We call upon the Lagos State Governor and all Political leaders in Lagos state to immediately condemn these provocative acts of violence and reign in any political supporters who may be involved in instigating these attacks.”
The campaign DG urged party supporters and all people of goodwill in Lagos to continue their preparations and participation in the election while taking all precautions with regard to their safety.
