ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has condemned the claims of Ikenga Ugochinyere, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for Ideato federal constituency seat.
Ugochinyere alleged that the number of registered voters in the Independent National Commission (INEC) record at Omuma, ward of Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, is inflated.
Reacting to the claims in a briefing in Owerri, the IPAC Chairman, Levi Ekeh, said that it was premature to make such allegation when INEC had yet to publish a cleaned up voters’ register for public scrutiny.
Ekeh said INEC has introduced a lot of innovations to allay peoples’ fear that the forthcoming general election would not be business as usual.
“We, as a body, commend their good efforts so far, at the same time caution them that Imo people, Nigerians and the entire world are watching them as unbiased umpire to deliver free, credible, fair and acceptable elections in 2023.
“In line with the Electoral Act 2022 as amended, after the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) and clean up, the commission shall appoint a period of seven days during which the register will be published for scrutiny by the public for objections and complain,” he stated.
The chairman added also that such allegation as the one made by Coalition of United Political Parties can only become an issue when objections and complaints are not handled and treated by the commission within the period.
He explained that INEC will publish the final register after treating such objections and complaints.
While recognising the rights of citizens to speak out in a democratic process, the group appealed for patience and understanding at this critical moment of the country’s electoral process.