INEC told to remove Lagos REC immediately over alleged anti Igbo comments

Published on February 8, 2023

By John Owen Nwachukwu

Leaders of some Christian organisations in Lagos State have called for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state.

The group, Leaders After God’s Own Spirit Initiating A New State, wants the REC Segun Agbaje removed immediately over a recent comment he made during a live TV interview on Channels.

The REC was quoted to have given reasons why people in Okota, Oshodi Local Government Areas, cannot get their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs and inferred that the Igbos in the area were immigrants.

In a statement signed and made available to DAILY POST by Dr. Bolaji O Akinyemi on Wednesday titled: Conspiracy against Democracy: INEC REC; Segun Agbaje’s Outburst, Other Matters Arising, the group accused the INEC REC of being complicit in a plan to disenfranchise Igbos in Lagos.

“In a reckless political communication known only with thugs, he made it clear that the reason they cannot have their PVC is that many of them are from the South East part of the country, inferring that they are immigrants,” the group said.

The group also alleged that there is fear in Lagos about a possible repeat of the Inconclusive election as it happened in the Osun 2018 governorship election while Agbaje was the INEC REC at the time before his redeployment to Lagos.

“One could possibly have overlooked his transfer to Lagos as an internal issue to which the commission has the right but not after his uncharitable comment about Igbos in Lagos. On moral grounds, Segun Agbaje should by now be on his way out of INEC without a petition or protest. Agbaje is a stigma on the integrity of the Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC. INEC Chairman can’t keep a tribal bigot and nepotistic personality in his system and keep the integrity of his organization,” the statement read.

The group while dismissing any planned protest against the fuel and cash scarcity which it said is being instigated by those who crushed the #EndSARS protest in Lagos using the army, however, asked LAGOSIANS to rise against what it called injustice meted against the Igbos in Lagos.

The statement said: “The only protest acceptable for now is Segun Agbaje must go! Our only hope for a better and greater future is the grand national protest scheduled for the 25th of February 2023! Our placards being our PVCs, anything that will compromise the system to oversee a free and fair election must be gotten rid of.

“Agbaje has done it before and by his comment on the Igbos, the signs are obvious of what he is capable of. If Igbo will votes in Lagos, and their votes will count like that of every other tribe, then Agbaje must not remain INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos state,” it added.

Recall that INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, while announcing the extension of the deadline for the collection of PVCs nationwide last week, said the Commission is committed to ensuring that all Nigerian eligible voters get their cards.

He said this during a meeting with the RECs from the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.