The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has
reacted to reports that Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, its resident electoral
commissioner (REC) in Edo, was arrested by the police.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state had
reportedly written a petition to the state police, accusing Sinikiem of forging
primary election results.
Reports online said he had thereafter been arrested by the
police and detained.
The police command has, however, described the alleged
arrest as “fake news”.
Reacting in a statement on Friday, Festus Okoye, INEC
commissioner for information and voter education, confirmed that the REC was
invited by the police, but added that “he was neither detained nor is he
personally under investigation as media reports suggested”.
“While we welcome the clarification by the Police Command,
we wish to point out that any other official of the Commission assigned by the
REC could have provided the required insight. Alternatively, a visit to our
State Office by the Commissioner of Police or his assigned representative could
have achieved the same goal as has been the tradition in our collaborative
relationship with security agencies,” the statement reads.
“For emphasis, our REC in Edo State, Dr Johnson Alalibo
Sinikiem, is a conscientious public officer and co-chairman of the Inter-Agency
Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) at state level. He was the
sitting REC when the last Governorship election was conducted in Edo State on
19th September 2020 which was adjudged to be free, fair and credible.
“Any action capable
of creating the impression of harassment of our officials or infringement of
the independence of the Commission must be avoided, especially at this critical
period of our preparations for the 2023 General Election.”
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