The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, says being a cousin to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), does not affect his official assignment.
Note that Onuoha was appointed as an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the September 21 governorship election.
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Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, Tony Aziegbemi, had asked INEC to redeploy Onuoha over ties with Wike.
Aziegbemi expressed a lack of confidence in the REC’s ability to conduct a free and fair election in the state.
Reacting, Onuoha who spoke with Channels Television on Friday, asked Nigerians to focus on his competency, character, and conscience, and ignore his relationship with Wike.
The Edo REC said politicians will make “wild allegations when they discover that you will not do their bidding”, adding that there were no complaints when he was posted to Edo State in 2023.
“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.
“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? Has he done a similar thing before?’ Yes, I was an electoral commissioner in Rivers state’s RSIEC. 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.”
Onuoha served as a Special Adviser on Lands when Wike was the Governor of Rivers State.
