In order to distribute election materials and staff around the state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would collaborate with the Lagos State Parks Management Committee.
During the inter-agency consultative committee on election security (ICCES) meeting on Tuesday at the commission’s headquarters in Lagos, Olusegun Agbaje, the resident electoral commissioner for INEC in Lagos, made a statement. Working with the group headed by Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, wouldn’t jeopardize the polls, according to Agbaje.
After prohibiting the operations of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu established the parks committee (RTEAN).
However, it was claimed that PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar had urged INEC against using the parks committee. The fact that MC Oluomo is a part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign committee and has participated in party solidarity rallies alarmed Abubakar.
In response, Agbaje stated that the commission’s primary focus was achieving the extensive logistical requirements for the polls. He said that security organizations, party agents, and observers would keep an eye on the transfer of election people and materials.
“There is a ban on the NURTW and RTEAN, we are only left with the Park Management system and NARTO (National Association of Road Transport Owners) and we are already working with NARTO,” NAN quoted Agbaje as saying.
“NARTO is not even able to meet up with 40 percent of our vehicle requirements for this election. The commission in Lagos State does not have any option than to use park management system.
“We are not dealing with Oluomo, we are dealing with the park managers. Individual people that have vehicles are those we are going to use.
“So, it will be working against the law if INEC has to continue to work with NURTW or any other group that is proscribed in the state.
“At the Central Bank of Nigeria where they are going to move our materials, there will be security agencies and party agents including the military to monitor and escort these vehicles from CBN to Local Government Areas (LGAs).
“So, I don’t see how this can compromise the election in any way. Our politicians should see the peculiarity in Lagos State; we cannot work with banned NURTW or RTEAN.
“We need over 5,000 vehicles for this election, including trucks, buses and so on to carry our people and materials for the elections. There is no other way we can go.
“We cannot go to other states and bring vehicles here, it is not allowed by law. The only way we can operate is through the park management system.
“These are the only people that can give us any type of vehicles. In fact, most of the NURTW drivers are working with the park management system.”
