The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied the accusation of removing its Igbo ad-hoc staff from the forthcoming Saturday’s governorship and state assembly election duty at Lagos State.
While many users on social media claimed that the electoral body had yanked off its staff of Igbo origin from performing their duties during the election, INEC has described the reports as “erroneous”.
The HOD of Voter Education and Publicity in Lagos Tadese Adenike said in a late Thursday statement;
“INEC, Lagos State, read with great surprise and concern on social media in respect of the removal of all Igbos and South- South staff in Lagos State from participating as ad hoc staff in the state during the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections on March 18,”
“It has become essential to correct the inaccurate claims in some quarters and put the record straight that the Ad-hoc staff (Collation Officers) used during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections which was on February 25,2023 in Lagos State were 738 in number, bearing in mind that three elections were held”
However, the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly will only require the services of 427 Collation Officers because only two elections are involved.
Tadese Adenike continued by saying,
“It is relevant to state unambiguously that members of staff that are Igbos were all returned to work as Collation Officers in the forthcoming elections while SPOs (Supervisory Presiding Officers) maintained their positions.”
