The Imole Campaign Council, the campaign organisation of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ebonyi State, Pauline Ugoyenka, from Osun ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The council questioned why Ugoyenka was in Osun when, according to it, Ebonyi was not among the states listed by INEC as contributing supervisory personnel for the election.
The demand was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Bamidele Salam, Chairman of the council’s Media and Publicity Committee.
The council said an INEC letter dated August 3 and addressed to RECs from 15 contributing states identified those states whose officials were to be deployed for the Osun election. It noted that Ebonyi was not on the list.
“So, who authorised Mrs Pauline Ugoyenka’s presence in Osun, and what exactly is she doing here?” the council asked.
“This is an election, not a covert operation. INEC must immediately explain her role, authority and activities in Osun and publish the full list of all officials deployed for the election.”
The campaign council also raised concerns about the alleged presence of Ugoyenka, an information and communication technology expert, at Aenon Suites in Osogbo. It alleged that people it described as individuals brought from Lagos and Abuja by the All Progressives Congress (APC) were also staying at the hotel.
The council further made allegations concerning possible hacking activities, but did not provide evidence to substantiate those claims.
It nevertheless called on INEC’s national leadership to investigate what it described as the “unofficial” presence of the Ebonyi REC and asked that she leave the state if she had not been officially assigned duties there.
“We demand immediate exit of the Ebonyi REC as she was not posted here for any official duties and her presence constitutes grave danger to the electoral health of Osun people,” the statement said.
Ugoyenka could not be reached for comment at the time of filing the report.
The campaign council also raised a separate concern over the ballot papers and result sheets to be used for Saturday’s election.
It asked INEC to clarify reports that the electoral materials may not be specifically customised for the Osun governorship poll.
The council said the materials should be clearly identified, produced and verified for the election.
“We also seek immediate clarification from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on why electoral materials meant specifically for the Osun governorship election would not be duly customised,” it said.
It warned that it would oppose any arrangement it believes could affect the credibility of the election.
“Accord will not accept any arrangement capable of compromising the integrity, transparency or credibility of the August 15 election,” the council said.
The council urged INEC to provide clarification before the election and ensure that only properly customised ballot papers and result sheets produced and verified for the Osun poll are used.
“Anything short of this raises serious questions about the credibility of the process and will be firmly resisted,” it warned.
The concerns come as Osun prepares to vote on Saturday, August 15, in a governorship election featuring 15 candidates. Governor Adeleke is seeking another term against candidates including the APC’s Bola Oyebamiji and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam.