By Abiola Olawale
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, has affirmed that his family relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, does not preclude his eligibility for appointment as an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and doesn’t not impact on his ability to conduct a clean and credible election in Edo state.
Onuoha argued that he is qualified to work with INEC and conduct a peaceful, free and fair election, including tomorrow’s governorship polls in Edo State.
He made this statement while replying to the Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Aziegbemi.
Aziegbemi had asked INEC to redeploy Onuoha over reported ties with Wike. He had expressed lack of confidence in the REC’s ability to conduct a free and fair election in the state.
However, Onuoha, while speaking with the press on Friday, said Nigerians should focus on his competencies, character, and conscience and ignore his relationship with Wike.
He said: “It is a fact that I am a cousin to the minister. On my appointment, I was invited by the senate. The senate screened and confirmed me. I was sworn in by my chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu,” he said.
“I was posted to Edo last year. Nobody complained that I’m a cousin to the minister. Of course, I’m a cousin to the minister. What we should be talking about at this time is capacity. Do you have the capacity to conduct the election? Are you competent enough?
“From my background, I am an associate professor of law. People should ask, ‘Can he do this job? Can he do a similar thing before?’ Yes, I was an electoral commissioner in Rivers State RSIEC, and nobody complained.
“I’m coming from the university. The mere fact that I’m a cousin to Wike does not preclude me from being appointed. Am I not a Nigerian? What Nigerians should be after is the person’s competence and whether he has what it takes to handle the job. Those are the issues they should ask.”
The New Diplomat reports that the Edo state resident registered voters are going to the polls to vote for the candidate of their choice on September 21, 2024.
Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) are among the leading candidates for the top job of Edo State.
