INEC Sacks Sokoto REC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Sokoto state, Dr. Nura Ali, to stay away from its office until further notice.

The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had during a press conference on Saturday accused some ad-hoc and permanent staff of the commission of conspiring with the ruling PDP in the state to rig the last Presidential and National Assembly elections.

In two separate letters, signed by the Secretary of the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the commission has directed the Administrative Secretary of the state, Hauwa’u Kangiwa to take full charge of the commission with immediate effect.

The Commission also directed her to liaise with the Supervisory National Commissioner, Professor Muhammad Sani Kala for further clarifications where necessary.

The letter to the Admin Secretary reads that “Please note that a National Commissioner (Major Gen. A. B. Alkali) and four (4) senior officials (names attached) are deployed to your State to assist you in the preparations and conduct of the forthcoming Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Election,” the letter concluded.

However, there was no reason given for the suspension of the REC, but INEC inside sources attributed it to the Presidential election which recorded many hitches as a result of the delay in the distribution of voting materials.