PDP rejects confirmation of APC chieftain, Umoren, as INEC REC 

PDP rejects confirmation of APC chieftain, Umoren, as INEC REC 

Despite incontrovertible evidence that Etekamba Umoren is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  the Senate proceeded to confirm him as a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). 

Recall that last week, President Bola Tinubu forwarded ten names, including Umoren to the Senate for confirmation as REC. Despite protest by Nigerians that Umoren is a card carrying member of the APC, the senate proceeded to confirm him. 

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement, says it does not recognise Umoren as REC because his appointment contravenes the provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act on qualification of persons to be appointed into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

The statement reads: “Gentlemen of the Press, we have invited you again today to expose a dangerous design by the ever scheming All Progressives Congress (APC) to perpetuate itself in power by annexing and manipulating the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Of particular concern is the brazen imposition of a card-carrying member and prominent leader of the APC in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Etekamba Umoren, as the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Akwa Ibom State despite the loud and widespread outcry and rejection by Nigerians, and particularly our Party, the PDP and the people of Akwa Ibom State.

“Etekamba Umoren is a known APC leader, who has been at the forefront of APC campaigns and unrelenting projection of APC’s interests in previous elections. 

“The PDP therefore in clear and unequivocal terms rejects the imposition of Etekamba Umoren as INEC REC for Akwa Ibom State being conceived in iniquity and in flagrant violation of the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and the universal demand of impartiality and non-partisanship of an electoral body and its officials.

“It is imperative to state that Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022 is clear and unambiguous in barring partisan persons like APC’s Etekamba Umoren from holding any position whatsoever in INEC.

“For clarity and emphasis, Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022 states that: ‘No person holding an elective office to which this Act relates or a registered member of a political party shall be eligible for or be appointed to carry out the duties of a returning officer, an electoral officer, presiding officer or a poll clerk.’

“Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022 is clearly a major provision that confers, affirms and protects INEC’s statutory independence, guarantees its impartiality and non-partisanship in the electoral process.

“The violation of this key provision as in the case of Etekamba Umoren is a grievous assault on INEC’s credibility as an institution of democracy and the sanctity of the electoral process.

“Our Party is aware of the mission allegedly handed to Etekamba Umoren by the APC leadership to use the office of the REC to compromise sensitive processes, materials and systems including voter registration, collection of Voter Cards, doctoring of Voter Register, delineation of electoral constituencies and coercion of INEC staff, all to lay the foundation for APC to manipulate the process leading to future elections in Akwa Ibom State.

“Etekamba Umoren’s imposition as a REC is therefore a provocative and vexatious defilement of the independence, integrity and credibility of our electoral system which cannot be allowed to stand. This imposition has started generating serious agitation which is a recipe for crisis and possible breakdown of Law and Order in Akwa Ibom State if not immediately addressed.

“It is instructive to alert that the import of the violation of Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2022 is to the effect that any election conducted or superintended by Etekamba Umoren will be subject to illegitimacy on the ground that the electoral body is constituted contrary to and in violation of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“It is clear that the people of Akwa Ibom State, being very knowledgeable with respect to the position of the law, will never allow such obnoxious imposition aimed to frustrate their Will at elections.

“Moreover, the underlying substance, essence and significance of Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is for appointments into Federal Agencies, especially sensitive agencies like INEC to be made in such a manner to “promote national unity and also to command national loyalty.”