From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Group, Arewa Citizens’ Watch for Good Governance. (ACWGG) on Sunday asked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu to resign over an alleged compromise of the voters register under his watch.
Chairman of the group, Mohammed Grema Adamu in a statement further alleged the registration of foreigners in “18 states that would help generate 10 million fake votes using preloaded fake accreditation”, quoting one Ikenga Ugochinyere Michael from Imo State.
According to Adamu, the bulk stops on the INEC Chairman’s office, hence, the weighty allegation of “Criminal Electoral Treason” leveled against him by Mr. Ikenga and his co-travelers must not be swept aside.
The statement read in part, “the conduct of the 2023 general elections is in top gear. We are however worried that the election umpires are morally compromised to deliver on that onerous task, that holds the key to our national unity and prosperity.
“As some of you may be aware, On the 15th of September, 2022, one Ikenga Ugochinyere Michael addressed a world press titled “Omuma Magic” wherein he alleged that 15,000 foreign names were registered in the rural village of the Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodinma.
“He further alleged that scanned passports photos and burial pictures were used to register voters in most local government areas in Imo State. He rhetorically asked how come people had access to the INEC system to enable them to scan and upload passports.
“Surprisingly, rather than calling for the heads of those with the mandate to register and keep such important data in their custody. Mr. Ikenga somersaulted and attributed it to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Ikenga and his co-travelers failed to acknowledged and commend the APC-dominated National Assembly for legalizing the electronic transmission of results and also, President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been giving INEC all the needed support to enable them to deliver credible election”, he said.
The group however demanded that “relevant government agencies must arrest and prosecute Prof Mahmood Yakubu for trying to use his office to effect leadership change in our country in a satanic manner.
“That Prof Yakubu and members of his team should humbly resign to enable an independent probe into an allegation of insertion of foreigners’ names in our voters’ register.
“That Mr. Ikenga should stop blowing hot and cold at the same. He can’t accuse INEC of adulterating the voters’ register and coming again to cry wolf that INEC officials are under pressure to resign.
“That we pass a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari led administration commitment to deliver credible election come 2023 as he has done in other states during the off-season election.
“That where Prof Mahmood fails to resign, we will be forced to petition President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Justice, the National Assembly, the US Embassy, the European Union’ British High Commission and other key actors in the electoral process on the danger of retaining the seeming compromised Prof Mahmood Yakubu”.