The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Benin, Edo State chapter, has disowned the ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Paul Uwugiaren, who was arrested by the police while attempting to manipulate the results of the National Assembly elections, held on April 9, in Ovia South West Local Government Council of Edo State.
Uwugiaren had told journalists that he was a lecturer at UNIBEN shortly after he confessed that he was financially induced by an unnamed candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party to falsify the result in favour of the PDP.
But in a statement signed by the Chairman of UNIBEN ASUU, Dr. Anthony Monye-Emina, the union said, "It is true that INEC recruited ad hoc personnel from the university, lecturers inclusive; but we want to state that the lecturer, who is said to have perpetrated the electoral fraud in question, is not a member of ASUU-UNIBEN. His name does not appear in any of the documents of the union.
"It is important to state that electoral fraud is highly condemnable and it is so condemned by ASUU-UNIBEN. It is hoped that in this matter, the relevant authority, while allowing the law to take its course and for fair hearing, should ensure that the perpetrators are made to feel the full weight of the law, if found guilty."
The union, however, commended its members participating in electoral duties, for conducting themselves very well. "It is hoped that they will continue in that spirit throughout the period of this all important national service," the body said.
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