by Ranti Joseph

The Ogun State chapter of Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation on Thursday has condemned the visit of the Governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Director, Media and Publicity of the organisation, Steve Oliyide.

Amosun had on Wednesday paid an unscheduled visit to INEC’s office and expressed his displeasure with about 600,000 ‘strange’ Permanent Voter Cards that were allegedly brought to the state, which Amosun said did not belong to registered voters in the state. He also condemned the way the commission kept bringing PVCs in piece to the state, adding that some local governments had yet to receive their own.

The PDP campaign body described the visit as a gross violation of the independence of the commission and a subtle way to blackmail and compromise the electoral body. “Governor Amosun, being a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, who is also standing for election in the April 11, 2015 governorship election, just like every other candidates standing for elections, has no legal and moral right to visit the INEC office to complain about the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards in the state. This is crass opportunism and open blackmail, aimed principally to compromise the integrity, neutrality and independence of the electoral umpire. We condemn this in totality,” it said.

The organisation said Amosun could have explore other means other than a personal visit to the commission, through writing of press statement or through an open letter to the commission.

Janeth J