Nigeria decides 2019: PDP raises alarm over alleged plot by INEC to substitute ad-hoc workers

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Nasarawa State, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, against substitution of ad-hoc workers in the state.

Chairman of the party in the state, Francis Orogu, alleged that there were plots by politicians to substitute the names of ad-hoc staff already recruited and trained to conduct the elections.

According to NAN, Orogu, in a press conference on Tuesday in Lafia, advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to reject such plots and maintain the workers it had already recruited for the exercise.

The PDP official was reacting to a protest by a group over the composition of ad-hoc staff recruited to conduct the polls in Doma Local Government Area.

The group had claimed that those posted to the area were not residents of the area,

But Orogu, who described the reason for the protest as “embarrassing”, said that the action was “ill-motivated”.

“I think the said protest is ill-motivated because no political party raised that issue during the various interactive sessions with INEC.

“As a party, we are satisfied with INEC’s activities and conduct so far. The commission’s activities in the build-up to the botched Feb. 16 election were without any fault. We don’t have any reason to doubt INEC’s readiness and capacity to conduct credible election,” Orogu said.

He urged INEC and the security agencies to be resolute and uphold their constitutional mandate in the interest of Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Dr. Uthman Ajidagaba, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in Nasarawa State, has said that the commission would always be guided by the law in its conduct.

“We have received a complaint from the area alleging that some of the ad-hoc staff were not from that locality.

“The recruitment of our ad-hoc staff has no political inclination since we are working for the interest of Nigerians in line with the law.

“We are not for any political party and will continue to uphold our neutrality in line with the law,” Ajidagba declared.

He, however, said that the commission would investigate the claims and address the concerns based on concrete evidence