Mahmud Yakubu: Rights activist sets agenda for new INEC boss ….Says, Bayelsa, Kogi guber, litmus test for Yakubu

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Following the approval and ratificafication of the appointment of the ‎new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu by the Council of States on Wednesday, a human rights activist and Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice(CHRSJ), Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman has urged the
newly appointed boss of electoral umpire to improve on the success recorded by his predecessor in office, Professor Attaihiru Jega during the 2015 general elections and also, to amend the failure discovered
during the last elections where under age children were allowed to cast votes in some part of the country.

Comrade Sulaiman however observed that the people of the country expected that the new INEC boss would be emerged from the south western Nigeria, because, the region has never been appointed to head the Commission in the last three decades, saying that the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Bayelsa and Kogi States would be the litmus test for the new boss of the commission.

Reacting to the appointment of Professor Yakubu by President Muhammadu Buhari through a signed statement which a copy was made available to newsmen in Lagos yesterday, CHRSJ boss urged the University don to bring the wealth of his experience in public glare to bear in the new task without fear or favour,saluting the courage of Nigerians that spoke against the illegality of the acting Chairman for the commission
which made the President Buhari-led Federal Government to change its
stance on this issue of national importance, advising President Buhari against the appointment of the controversial personality like Ambassador Rufus Akeju as State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in nearest future because of the credibility of the commission.

Rights activist enjoined Yakubu to solicit the total support of the stakeholders in the electoral process in the country as soon as he assumed office, by conveying the meeting of all the stakeholders including, those who were annoyed over the appointment of the Pharmacist Amina Zakari as the acting Chairman, of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),believing that it was known to the law that established the Commission so as to douse the tension
within the stakeholders.

According to him, “The ratification of the appointment of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud
Yakubu by the Council of States is a welcome development at a time the
appointment acting Chairman has thrown constitutional challenges for the Commision.Nigerian People thought that the new chairman of the electoral umpire will emerge from the South-western Nigeria. But Professor Yakubu should let his wealth of experience to bear in
discharging of his duties without fear or favour and he should know that the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States will be a litmus test for him and the Commission”.

Speaking further on the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa and Kogi States, Sulaiman therefore urged the University don to ensure that free, fair, credible, transparency and acceptable
elections were conducted in the affected states by creating level playing field for the candidates that would participate in the
elections so as to repose the confidence of Nigerians at home and abroad in the electoral commission.

CHRSJ chief advised the stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process, particularly, in Bayelsa and Kogi States, to continue to
partner with the commission to ensure that the forthcoming governorship elections were peaceful, credible, free, fair and
successful, adding that Professor Yakubu should also bring his wealth of experience to bear by surmounting uncommon courage to face the herculean challenges of the Commission.

Sulaiman then urged Professor Yakubu to look into the salary structure of the Commission’s staff for better productivity, praying that God would give the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the Solomonic wisdom to pilot the affairs of the
commission to an enviable height in the land.