The commission further debunked the claim that the state Resident Electoral Commissioner had been conversing with some stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state.

The Nigerian Electoral Body, Independent National Electoral Commission has denied a claim that the commission is plotting to remove all Igbo and people from the south-south region as their ad-hoc staff ahead of Saturday’s governorship and State Assembly elections in the state.

This was stated in a press statement released by Tadese Adenike (MRS), Lagos HOD Voter Education and Publicity for Hon Resident Electoral Commissioner, on Wednesday night.

The commission further debunked the claim that the state Resident Electoral Commissioner had been conversing with some stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state.

The statement reads: “INEC Lagos State read with great concern on the social media in respect of the removal of all Igbos and south south staff in Lagos State from participating as adhoc staff in the state during the forthcoming governorship/house of assembly election on 18th March, 2023.

“It was equally alleged that “Obidients in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu and Tinubu were on a call with the INEC REC, in Lagos State to finalise rigging plans for the gubernatorial election.

It has become imperative to correct the erroneous accusations in some quarters and put the record straight that the adhoc staff (collation officers) engaged during the presidential/national assembly election on 25th February, 2023 in Lagos State were 738 in number bearing in mind that three elections were held.

The forthcoming governorship election will only require the services of 427 collation officers because of the two elections involved

It is pertinent to state unequivocally that members of staff that are Igbos were all returned to work as collation officers in the forthcoming governorship/HOA election scheduled for 18th March, 2023 while the SPOS maintained their positions.

“The HON, resident electoral commissioner for Lagos State Mr Olusegun Agbaje MFR, MNI did not at any point in time engage in any telephone conversation with the three candidates mentioned – Obidients, Sanwo-Olu and Tinubu. In fact, he does not have their telephone numbers.”

“Whoever that has information concerning the day and time of the said telephone conversation should not hesitate to make it public,” the statement adds.