A group, Yoruba Revolutionary Assembly, YORA, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, always call for the sack of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, whenever election results are not in favour of the opposition party.
The group described as not only unpatriotic but illogical, the call by the PDP for the sack of Yakubu in the aftermath of the inconclusive Osun State governorship election.
Reacting to the call in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Prince Olarinde Joseph, and made available to DAILY POST, the Yoruba group said it was sad that the PDP cannot for a moment shun the party’s selfish antecedent, which has made it difficult for PDP to appreciate any patriotic effort, by any organ of government, as long as it exists under the incumbent administration in the country.
According to the group, it was also disingenuous of the PDP to forget in a hurry, that the same INEC under Yakubu’s leadership conducted elections in some parts of the country, before now including the Osun West senatorial district, which were won by opposition political parties, and in fact, “the PDP’s candidate in the yet to be concluded Osun governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, is a product of an election conducted by INEC, under this same INEC Boss.”
The statement read in part, “Since his appointment, Professor Mahmood have demonstrated the zeal, commitment, and enthusiasm towards ensuring an improvement, in our electoral system. This fact, has not only resulted into positive transformation in our electoral processes, but have also earned INEC International trusts and accolades.
“It is important to continually remind the PDP, and other unpatriotic elements, that are hellbent of distracting the INEC’s leadership and blackmail it, for their narrow and self centered political reasons, that INEC is a public institution whose actions are covered by the Constitution, and it is irrational and undemocratic to call for the sack of its Chairman, whenever election results, which are largely decided by the voters, are not in their favour.”
The group also said that as the 2019 General elections get nearer, Nigerians must be weary of the antics of self-serving politicians, who will reduce INEC to their object of attacks, as such moves are aimed at distracting the commission from delivering on its mandate of giving Nigeria free, fair and credible elections.
YORA added, “We would not stop reminding these detractors, that elections by INEC under the leadership of Professor Mahmood Yakubu have continued to get better than we ever had in the past.
“Electoral violence in our elections is becoming a thing of the past, transparency in increasing more than ever and INEC is setting new records in term of logistics and personnel distribution during elections, just as witnessed in Osun last weekend.
“Rather than continually asking for the head of INEC Chairman, politicians should engage themselves and seek how they can desist from their ignoble ways and characters, which have continued to frustrate INEC efforts, and threatening peaceful, free and fair elections in the country.”
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