By Okodili Ndidi, Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has replied the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, that his aspersions on the Commission cannot stop it from doing the right thing.

It challenged the Imo.governor to show evidence to substantiate his allegation that all senior Staff of the Commission in the Southeast belong to a particular political party.

Responding to the governor’s claim that INEC senior Staff in the Southeast are all card carrying members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Commission said it was suprised that he could make such allegation.

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC National Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, in a statement made available to The Nation, stated that casting aspersions on the Commission cannot deter it from doing the right thing.

Uzodinma had while explaining the grounds on which he approached the Supreme Court, accused INEC of deliberating excluding his votes because it was working for the PDP candidate.

According to the governor in a statement that has gone viral on the social media, “all we are asking is that INEC should remain neutral especially in the Southeast.

“All INEC senior Staff in the Southeast are obviously PDP carrying members to the extent that once a result is not in the favour of the PDP, it will go all out to upturn the result”.

It will be recalled that the Imo governor, a two time Senator was.a.member of the PDP until late 2018 when he decamped to the APC.

But the Commission in the response noted that, “it is quite surprising that Mr Hope Uzodinma is affirming that all INEC senior staff in the South East are card carrying members of a political party.

“How did he come to that conclusion? The Commission will be grateful if he could supply the INEC headquarters with the compelling proof of that allegation so that action can be taken”.

It added that, “however, Nigerians would have noticed that some politicians have now formed the habit of casting aspersions on the Commission whenever we insist on the right thing. Notwithstanding, we will not be discouraged and we will not be deterred by these unwarranted attacks.

“The Commission will continue to discharge its constitutional responsibilities without fear and favour”