INEC: POLICE INVITATION TO OUR RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER FOR EDO STATE.(PHOTO).#PRESS RELEASE

INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL GOMMISSION

NEC ent Maitama District

Plot 434

P.M.B 0184, Abuja, Federal Capital Teritory, Nigeria.

Webiter www.inecnigeria.0g Online Newspaper.www.inecnens.com

PRESS RELEASE

NEC

POLICE INVITATION TO OUR RESIDENT ELECTORAL

COMMISSIONER FOR EDO STATE

The attention of the Commission has been dawn to media reports that our Resident

invited and detaincd by the Edo State Police Command yesterday 28th July 2022 in

connection with matters arising from the recent primaries conducted by a political

party in thhe State.

The Commission can confirm that the REC was invited. However, the Edo State

Folice ommand has 15sued a statement to clarity the situation, saying that the KEC

was only 1nvited to povide imsignt nto some technical 1ssues regarding our processes

and notiing more. He was neither detained nor 1s 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 ot the Commission assigned by the REC could have provided the

required insight. Alenatively, a vISit to our State Office by the Commissioner of

u eCneved ne same gonl as has been

tne tradition in our collaborative relationship win security agencies.

For emphasis, our REC in Edo State, Dr Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, is a conscientious

public oficer and co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on

Election Security (cCES) at State level. He was the Siting 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 or our olficials or

infringment of the independence of the Commissian must be avoided, especíally at

this critical period of our preparations for the 2023 General Election.

Festus Okoye Esq.

National Commissioner and Chairman

Information and Voter Education Committee

Friday 29th July 2022.