The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is being pressurized to redeploy the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor James Apam.
The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) called on Prof. Mamood Yakubu to immediately redeploy the current resident Electoral Commissioner in the state,.
The registered political parties accused the INEC boss of shielding the nefarious activities of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State.
They made their position known on Friday during a joint press conference held in Lokoja.
Hon. Frank Kato who spoke on behalf of others said a new REC of impeccable record, and character should be posted to Kogi State with immediate effect.
According to him, since his arrival in the state, during which the political parties in Kogi State embraced him especially for being a Professor of political science, the professor had progressively relegated the political parties in the state, while favouring the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
He alleged that “the second office of the REC is the Government House, where he frequently hibernates to the utter disregard of desirable decorum of his office, as well as Public perception.”
His words, “The current REC has set a very gloomy standard, by being the first Kogi State REC to be publicly smeared with the accusation of collection of huge sums of money as bribe from the state government to tinker with electoral processes in favour of APC candidates.”
He stated further that all recent elections were massively rigged in an unguarded public glare, by thugs of the ruling party in uniforms.
Meanwhile the INEC had said that all the allegations made by the group were untrue.
The spokesperson of INEC, who is the Head Voter Education, Gender and Publicity, Alhaji Ahmed Biambo Bagudu said that the allegations were unfounded and baseless.
He added that those who were not pleased with the outcome of the election were already at the Tribunal, saying none of them had implicated the REC in the cause of the proceedings.
He called on the public to disregard the information as they were targeted at tarnishing the image of the REC.
