ACN Wants INEC To Speak On Voter Register Fraud

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has asked INEC to explain to Nigerians what transpired in Ibadan, when some people were arrested for tampering with registration materials, with just two weeks to the polls.

In a statement issued in Omuaran, Irepodun Local Government, Kwara state, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Monday, the party said unless INEC acts quickly to regain the confidence of Nigerians, who were shocked by the Ibadan incident, it will be difficult for anyone to have confidence in the ability of the commission to organize free, fair and credible elections next month.

It said the questions that INEC needs to provide answers to urgently include how the suspects got hold of the DDC machines and the voters’ register that were found with them, on behalf of which political party were they acting and whether the DDC machines were among those stolen or not.

”We have read in the papers that the suspects were acting in collusion with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but it will be important for INEC, acting with the police, to inform Nigerians whether this is true or not, and to reveal whether or not the Resident Electoral Commission for Oyo state was involved, in which case he will have to be sanctioned.

”It is also necessary for INEC to confirm published reports identifying one of the suspects as Osunlola Akinyinka of INEC’s information unit. If this is true, what is INEC doing to put its unscrupulous staffers in check before and during the polls? And how pervasive is this kind of activity?” ACN queried.

The party recalled alerting Nigerians to the dangers posed by the stealing of INEC’s DDC machines at the airport, and INEC’s assurance that the theft would not have any effect on the registration process.

”How can anyone believe INEC now, with the arrest of the suspects in Ibadan, who have reportedly tampered with the voter’s register in 27 local governments? Can the electoral roll for these local governments still be trusted?” it said.

ACN’s query to INEC came as the Oyo State Police Command transferred the Head of Information Technology of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Osunlola Akinyinka and other four caught tampering voters registers in the INEC Machine at Davies Hotel, Awolowo Area of Ibadan to the State CID, Iyangaku, Ibadan.

The suspects were caught tampering with the voters register of the entire 33 local government in the state.

The Oyo Police Public relations Officer, Mr. Tuji Ajimuda said the  police are still investigating the case.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adisa Baba Bolanta affirmed that the four suspects arrested with the INEC staff are members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The suspects arrested around 7:30pm last Saturday who were firstly detained at Bodija Police Station were taken to Area police Command, Iwo Road before transferring to State CID.

In their reactions, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leader  in Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina and Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) stated that the only way credible election could be guaranteed is the swopping  of the state INEC commissioners and the state police commissioners.

However, Governor Adebayo Alao Akala and the PDP have denied that those arrested are PDP members. Akala who spoke through his media aide, Dotun Oyelade stated that he would not win the election fraudulently.

—Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan