Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Edo State chapter, Dr. Bishop Akhalamhen, has faulted the undue interference of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan in the ongoing crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He expressed his dissatisfaction while fielding questions from Journalists shortly after the flag off campaign for voters registration and PVCs collection in Benin City.
Dr. Akhalamhen said INEC as an umpire has no business in meddling in political parties affairs rather than only observing their proceedings.
“Well, as an umbrella body, as an umpire, INEC has no power to decide what happens in any political party.
“Political party decides what happens in their home. It is what is offered. Because if you look at it, if Congress is going on, the duties of INEC is to come and monitor, and see what is happening.
“They don’t intervene in what is happening in political party. Hence, they don’t have the capacity, they don’t have the legal backing, to create crisis, or to administer into the crisis of any political party”, Akhalamhen said.
He advised the electoral umpire to maintain neutrality in dealing with political parties affairs to avoid crisis.
“My advice is that INEC should remain neutral in order to sustain our democracy”, he said.
Speaking on the essence of the event, he noted that it was to encourage citizens of the state to go and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from the INEC.
“The essence of today’s event is to drive massive campaign registration and PVC collection in Edo State because today, in Edo State, we have registered voters of 2.6 million, 2.2 have collected. The remaining ones still with INEC.
“And we have eligible number of Edo people who are more than 6 million.
“Where are the rest? So we want to assure that in the register, we have 5 million voters”, Akhalamhen added.
