INEC Sacks Imo Electoral Officers, Imports Presiding officers From Rivers and Cross River States, Rogue REC Nwaghene Arrives.

With the contentious Imo State supplementary election just two days away, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shook things up by replacing most of the electoral officers in the state.

The Commission also strengthened its presence by bringing in four national commissioners: Lai Olorode, Ishmeal Igbani, Dr. Christopher Ehimoga, and Ambassador Anka.

INEC further brought in some 100 presiding officers from Cross River State and Rivers State, but critics say these numbers are grossly inadequate to give credibility to elections that require unimpeachable officials in the 600 polling units where elections are billed to hold on Friday.  The Commission ordered the "supplementary Elections" in the state after it declared the governorship elections in the state inconclusive on April 26 2011.

Of the four Resident Electoral Commissioners brought in from out of state for the election, only two were on the ground yesterday: Mike Iginni of Cross River and Ikoiwak Aniedi of Rivers.  After Naija News Desk revealed the identity of fraudulent officials known for involvement in electoral conduct, INEC removed Austin Okogie, a REC with ties to the notorious “Mr. Fix It” Anthony Anenih.  Chief Anenih has been saddled by the PDP with keeping Imo.  The Commission also delayed the arrival of the controversial REC of Ebonyi state, Humphrey Nwaghene.


Naija News Desk has however learnt that Mr. Nwaghene was discreetly brought into Owerri earlier today in addition to Nafa Ayilara, the REC from Benue state.  INEC’s stubborn insistence in including the much tainted Nwaghene in the election has led to jitters in the state that INEC may not be setting up to conduct a totally free and fair election.  Each of the RECs will handle one local government each.

INEC sources told Naija News Desk that election materials will be distributed tomorrow.  They also claimed that new tags have been issued to party agents and election observers.  One source expressed surprise at what they met on the ground in Imo state, asserting his conviction that the electoral commission in Imo under Selina Okoh was totally compromised.

In a series of reports, Naija News Desk had exposed the fraud inherent in the Imo state election which had been won outright last week by the APGA candidate, Rochas Okorocha.  Compromised INEC officials in the state however declared the elections to be inconclusive.