Polls shift: INEC Ad-hoc staff, Corps members stranded in Ogun

Many Ad- hoc staff, including National Youth Service Corps members engaged for Saturday’s botched election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were stranded across Ogun State, lamenting that they were abandoned since Friday after the election was postponed by INEC.

One of the corps member, who identified himself as Azeez, said: “I was surprised when they said we should be here a day before the election. They brought us here from Sango Ota on Friday to INEC office in Ipokia local government around 5pm.”

He said: “There was no water, no welfarism, low security; no Bed even a mats for us to sleep. We had to struggle to sleeps in a car, on the floor outside the INEC office, and we have been stranded here because we learned the election has been postponed around 3am on Saturday.

“Another Corp members, identified as Bright laments on the poor leadership of INEC in the local government, says, there is no INEC official to talk to us about the development, no security and going out of this place is risky, we had to sleep outside in cold on the ground, we are no longer interested in this next level.”

State coordinator urges calm
Also reacting, In a statement by her Ipokia Local government LGI, Mrs Eze , the state coordinator said: “My beloved corps members, I salute your commitment to the national service of ensuring credible elections in Ogun State. I appreciate the hardships and sacrifices you all made. Please dont be offended.
We just finished a meeting at lNEC Headquarters and all hands are on deck to ensure that those who have not received their training allowances will be paid.
Other difficulties experienced are being addressed. Generally things will certainly be better next weekend. Please keep on the patriotic spirit. You know your welfare is paramount. We will do everything possible to ensure your welfare. Dont hesitate to call me if the need arises.
Thanks and God bless you all
State Coordinator."

S’West PDP tackles INEC
Meanwhile, the South West Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has condemned the last-minute postponement of the election, saying it confirms the unpreparedness of the INEC for the election.
In a statement by the Zonal Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, said: “We take due cognizance of the last minute postponement of the presidential and national assembly elections by INEC based on a flimsy excuse of logistics crisis, particularly in view of the numerous declarations of its preparedness to prosecute the elections on the dates previously fixed by it.
“This development, however, puts a lie to INEC’s numerous grandstanding and pointedly confirms its unpreparedness to conduct a nationwide election, an intention consistent with the desires of the APC, which if executed would have immediately created a political crisis in our nation.
“This sloppiness must stop and INEC must be prepared to discharge its allocated responsibilities firmly on the new dates fixed for the elections.

Afenifere chieftain flays INEC chairman
Also chiding the INEC chairman, an Afenifere chieftain, Senator Femi Okunrounmu has accused the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu of working for the ruling APC to foist President Muhammadu Buhari on Nigerians.
He said this while speaking to
Vanguard in Abeokuta on the postponement of the elections.
Okunrounmu alleged: “The APC leaders are the ones that forced him into the situation, where we have to have the election cancelled few hours before going to polls.
“We should blame INEC squarely because if INEC had been straight forward, and an organization with integrity, all these will never have happened.
“All the factors that led to the postponement would never have happened.

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“If Mahmood Yakubu has been a man of integrity, if he had been an honest man; committed to giving us a free and fair election, all the problems that led to the postponement wouldn’t have arisen.
“From his incompetence, he cannot be trusted, but, we have to watch him. I have told you because, he has shown that he doesn’t have integrity, he is not independent; he is being manipulated by the incumbent government–the government of Buhari.”