INEC chair: Party leaders drum support for Yakubu

Fred Itua, Abuja

A coalition of political parties, yesterday, stormed the National Assembly to express their support for Mahmood Yakubu.

Yakubu, who was reappointed for another tenure of five years as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Muhammadu Buhari is awaiting screening by the Senate.

The coalition, which stormed the National Assembly with banners of various inscriptions, urged the lawmakers to shun an alleged move by some politicians to scuttle the confirmation of Yakubu for second term.

It thanked Mr. President for reappointing Yakubu for a second term, adding that his reappointment was a right step in a right direction.

Addressing newsmen at the venue, the National Chairman of Action Alliance, Kenneth Udeze, thanked President Buhari for the reappointment of Yakubu, adding that as opposition, it was not all issues that should be criticised.

He said when the president do something good, he should be appreciated. Commending Yakubu for his innovation in Edo and Ondo elections, Udeze said the transmission of election results by electronic means is commendable.

“He has done well. One thing is to have a team and another to have a good man at the head,” he said.

He called on Yakubu to stop using ad hoc staff as returning officers, but staff. Udeze urged the INEC chairman to replicate what he did in Edo and Ondo in the 2023 general election by ensuring the process of using electronic voting in the election is put in place.

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) had raised the alarm that some people in President Buhari’s government are working to scuttle the screening of his nominee.

IPAC alleged it has uncovered plot to use the court to truncate Senate screening of Yakubu, adding that two serving ministers are behind the plot to stop his reappointment.

“A few desperate politicians, particularly those in the cabinet of the president have conspired to desecrate the temple of justice, institution of the judiciary like they did in the removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria to hijack the legislative powers of the Senate to screen and confirm the nominee.

“We have uncovered a plot to procure a midnight court order to destabilise the electoral stability of the country and throw the electoral body into leadership vacuum and challenges. This plot is being secretly spearheaded by those who parade as loyalists of Mr. President in the day time but wear a treacherous dress to undo the president and sabotage his agenda in pursuit of a desperate ambition to be president and governor,” IPAC said.