Anugbum Onuoha, resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Edo State, has mentioned that his relationship with Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), won’t have an effect on Saturday’s gubernatorial election within the state.
Talking on Channels TV on Friday, Onuoha mentioned such relationship mustn’t cease him from serving as an official of the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC).
There are palpable fears that Onuoha, who’s Wike’s cousin, will affect Saturday’s governorship election for the All Progressives Congress (APC). This stems from the frosty relationship between Wike and Godwin Obaseki, incumbent Edo State governor. Wike can be working for an APC federal authorities regardless of being a member of the Individuals’s Democratic Get together (PDP). The PDP has referred to as for his deployment to make sure that he doesn’t affect the guber election.
Onuoha, nevertheless, dismissed the fears, saying that the connection between the 2 can’t affect the election.
“Sure, it’s a undeniable fact that I’m a cousin to the minister. On my appointment, I used to be invited by the Senate. I used to be screened by the Senate, who confirmed me. I used to be sworn in by my chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu. I used to be posted to Edo final yr. No person complained that I used to be a cousin to the minister. In fact, I’m a cousin to the minister,” he mentioned.
“What we needs to be speaking about at the moment is capability. Do you may have the capability to conduct the election? Are you competent sufficient?“From my background, I’m an affiliate professor of legislation. Individuals ought to ask, ‘can he do that job? Has he carried out an analogous factor earlier than?’ Sure, I used to be an electoral commissioner in Rivers State’s RSIEC, no one complained.”
Onuoha additional mentioned the truth that he’s a cousin to Wike doesn’t cease him from being appointed.
“Am I not a Nigerian? What Nigerians needs to be after is the individual’s competence and whether or not he has what it takes to deal with the job. These are the problems they need to ask.”