The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations that its officials in Adamawa State undermined the electoral process after a secret visit at night to the Government House.
In a statement issued on Thursday by INEC’s National Commissioner and chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, INEC denied all allegations stating that no such meeting took place prior to the supplementary election held on Saturday 25, April 2023.
“Such a meeting would have been contrary to the oath of neutrality that we all swore to”. He stated.
Okoye emphasized that the Commission appointed and retained only one returning officer for the Governorship election who also doubled as the State Collation Officer for the Presidential Election (SCOPE).
“Like all Returning Officers nationwide, he was issued with a letter of appointment by the Commission and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State was duly informed. The list of Collation Officers was also forwarded to the State with every page of the list personally endorsed by the Chairman of the Commission well ahead of the arrival of the National Commissioners”.
INEC’s National Commissioner reiterated that Adamawa was not “specifically targeted” and urged the public to “discountenance insinuations”.