INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu
Sokoto, Abia RECs: ‘Why not sack yourself first?’ LP spokesman asks INEC chairman, Yakubu
One of the spokespersons for the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, has asked the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to sack himself first instead of prosecuting the two Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of Abia and Sokoto.
The two embattled RECs of INEC have come under fire over alleged misconduct during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Abia State, Professor Ike Uzochukwu, became the subject of investigation following circumstances that led to the disruption of polling on February 25 in seven local government areas of the state, including; Obingwa, Osisioma, Aba North, Aba South, Umuahia North, Ohafia and Arochukwu forcing a rerun which on March 5.
Calls for his sack had come from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state which said it had lost confidence in the capabilities of INEC under Prof. Uzochukwu to conduct a free and fair rerun election in Abia state.
For Dr Nura Ali, INEC stated, Monday, that it has suspended the REC with immediate effect over recent allegations of irregularities during the just-concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
It would be recalled that INEC, earlier Monday, displayed the 109 senators who emerged victorious in the Saturday, February 25 elections conducted for seats into the 10th session of the National Assembly (NASS).
None of Sokoto’s three senatorial seats of East, North and South had representatives following the inconclusive elections declared in the zones during the February 25 polls.
The three Sokoto East, North and South senatorial zones, including that of Enugu East, Plateau Central, Kebbi North, Yobe South and Zamfara Central senatorial districts are expected to hold on March 11 alongside the state Assembly and governorship elections.
The suspension of the Sokoto REC was announced in a letter signed by INEC’s Secretary, Rose Orlaran-Anthony, Monday, addressed to both the resident commissioner and the Administrative Secretary in the state.
According to the letter, Dr Nura Ali has been directed to stay away from the commission’s office in Sokoto State until further notice.
INEC’s Administrative Secretary, Hajiya Aliyu Kangiwa, has been instructed to take full charge of the commission’s matters in Sokoto State.
However, questioning the rationale behind the treatment meted out to the two RECs by INEC recently, the Labour Party spokesperson, Okonkwo, writing via his verified Twitter handle (@realkenokonkwo), Tuesday, asked what the INEC chairman was still waiting for ‘before sacking himself and the Lagos and Rivers RECs where APC and INEC officials openly stole.’
It would be recalled that he results sheet of the February 25 elections conducted in Rivers and Lagos had become the subject of scrutiny as figures posted by the electoral commission on its IREV portal massively differed from the one collated and announced by the INEC, last Wednesday, from the National Collation Centre in Abuja.
“Mahmood INEC has sacked Sokoto and Abia RECs where they said PDP and LP won for breaches of the law. Can someone tell me what Mahmood is waiting for before sacking himself and the Lagos and Rivers RECs where APC and INEC officials openly stole? Nigerians must insist on their sack,” Okonkwo wrote.
