No fewer than five hundred potential adhoc staff yesterday morning stormed the Anambra state headquarters office of the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) in Awka, protesting what they described as sharp practices by the commission in the selection of adhoc staff.
According to their spokesman, Ikechukwu Ojibe, information at their disposal revealed that the commission has already compromised the recruitment process for adhoc staff for the Feb 15, 2012 scheduled re-run polls in the state.
While calling for the removal of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Prof (Rev) Chukwuemeka Onukogu, for alleged complicity in the whole episode, the adhoc job applicants noted that that would be only plausible thing for national chairman of Prof Attahiru Jega. Else no one would reckon with whatever result he turns in at the end of the anticipated re-run polls in the state.
They alleged that since the REC has shifted the selection process for the adhoc staff to some of his favoured politicians, the outcome of the re-run would be far from being free or fair. Ojibe claimed that Prof Onukogu has been openly hobnobbing with certain notorious politicians in the state, adding that the election would turn out a mere formality and sham.
However, the Administrative Secretary of INEC in Awka, Mr Ena Isiavwe said the claims were all false and misleading, calculated at tarnishing the image of the hardworking Commissioner. According to him, “the commission was still in the process of generating the list of its adhoc staff for the forthcoming re-run polls. And it will surely come out before the election date, Feb 15, 2012, and would be made up of only already trained persons for the job”.
He pointed out that INEC will always stand for justice and fair play , and will never shirk or abdicate its constitutional responsibility to conduct free and fair election to any politician, no matter how highly placed.
