The Rights Agenda Initiatives Network (RAIN) has condemned the recent attack on the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu by some Nigerians who are working tirelessly to prevent his second term as the umpire of the nation’s electoral body.
The group said it also read with dismay the sponsored lies against Prof. Yakubu in the social media where it was alleged that he paid heavily to a few persons including the National Assembly to get him renominated with a possible clearance.
The Executive Secretary of RAIN, a rights watch organisation, Dr. Abraham Bulus, in a statement Sunday in Abuja, said that the attack on Prof Yakubu was a handiwork of the politicians who are not comfortable with reforms in the commission.
According to Dr. Bulus, the last five years of Professor Mahmood Yakubu has been the best years of the commission with wide range of reforms.
According to him, Yakubu’s tenure has proved that INEC has the capacity to manage elections with fearless results that have defiled all permutations.
“We have also noted that under his leadership, INEC has achieved numerous successes such as introduction of Continuous Voters Registration as prescribed in the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, Introduction of the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal, Introduction of the Z-Pad as an additional electronic means of voter identification and transmission of results from polling units in real-time.
“Others include gradual return of credibility in our electoral process as attested by the Edo and Ondo States 2020 Governorship elections and internal reforms along the electoral value chain.
“It is because of these successes that have put him in the pole position to be the man best suited to reposition the electoral policies of Nigeria. This is more so as the electoral laws are recieving much needed review by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“RAIN believes that those politicians who are opposed to his reappointment are doing so because of the 2023 and are afraid that Prof. Yakubu is not such a personality that can be bought over with their money. They are simply working for a candidate they can easily pocket. But we are satisfied that President Muhammadu Buhari, known for his anti-corruption crusade knows the best person for the job.
“It is on record that in the five years of his stewardship, no one has ever accused him of indulging in any form of bribery or favouritism. It is on record also that he had shown capacity, doggedness and resolute even when the tide was turning against the commission but not for once has he vacilated.
“It is on these note that we on the side of RAIN call on the National Assembly to without delay confirm the nomination of Mr. Presisent’s candidature of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the INEC chairman.”
