INEC Urged to Ensure Free, Fair, Guber, State Assembly Polls

*Bode George calls for removal of commission’s ICT director

Okon Bassey in Uyo and Segun James in Lagos

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been told to use the governorship and states’ houses of assembly elections in ensuring free and fair elections in order to correct the negative impressions against it during the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections last month.
The Akwa Ibom State Director, Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), made the call while briefing journalists in Uyo, on the observations of the group while monitoring the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

He argued that INEC has to ensure neutrality and non-partisanship in the conduct of the forthcoming governorship and states house of assembly elections scheduled for March 18, 2023, in Akwa Ibom State.  

“INEC should return to the drawing board and re-strategise with a view to addressing the lapses which came to the fore during the conduct of the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections in the country in order to deliver free, fair and credible elections in the forthcoming governorship and State House of Assembly elections,” he stressed.  

He expressed worry that some politicians in Akwa Ibom State were perfecting plots to import political thugs, as well as real and fake security personnel from neighbouring states to subvert the governorship and House of Assembly elections.
He called on law enforcement agencies to be on alert, and rise to the occasion of ensuring that the state remains peaceful during and after the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
“We appeal to the political class, particularly, the governorship candidates and their supporters not to approach the forthcoming elections with the ‘do-or-die” spirit, but with the spirit of sportsmanship.”, he added.

Otuekong Isong called for a reform in the country’s electoral system to address observations and shortcomings in the electoral system.
Meanwhile, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has demanded that the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, should immediately remove the commission’s Director of ICT, Mr. Femi Odubiyi, for being close to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and president-elect, Bola Tinubu.

George, stressed that unless that was done, the credibility of the March 18th election would be suspect.
He declared that the first thing Yakubu must do was to explain to Nigerians how Odubiyi, a former Commissioner for Science and Technology in Lagos State, found his way into INEC as head of ICT, adding that, “a critical department before, during and after elections,” should ordinarily not be in the hands of someone who is known to have a political affiliation with any of the party.
 “Today, millions of Nigerians are disputing the outcome of the February 25 presidential elections and some candidates are already in court. BVAS and IReV are very critical in the legal process that is going on.

“Nigerians are already asking Prof. Mahmood Yakubu: How did this man, a former Commissioner in Lagos State, find his way into INEC, not just any department, but a critical one like ICT?
“That department is very sensitive. Why should a follower of a presidential candidate be deployed to man a sensitive department like ICT in an election year?
“How did he even get his way into INEC? Do we have acolytes of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and other candidates heading other departments in INEC? Nigerians need to know.

“Was there no background check by security agents before this man was chosen to head ICT? How do we want the world to look at us when somebody close to a presidential candidate decides what goes on in the ICT department?
“Now that other candidates are in court, is this not the time for this fellow to be redeployed? Who appointed him and when was he appointed? Nigerians need to know,” he insisted.
George lamented that Odubiyi appeared to be a mole deliberately planted in INEC, to subvert the will of the Nigerian electorate, saying if not, the commission, through Yakubu, “must come clean, to explain to Nigerians how a former commissioner in the employment of Lagos State became a Director of ICT Department in INEC.”
“How did he get in there? Was Yakubu sleeping? How come Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso and others did not put their contacts there? These are posers the INEC Chairman must unravel.”
He called for a comprehensive investigation, that should involve all government security apparatus, “to get to the bottom of this intriguing matter of national interest,” stating that no culpable hand, no matter how highly placed, should be spared of appropriate punishment.
“It is stated clearly in the electoral bill that election results from the polling units must be transmitted into INEC Server, and there must not be any interloper.
“I call on all security apparatus of government to quickly wade into this matter by inviting Odubiyi, to explain whatever role he has played, as well as tell Nigerians how he got into INEC ICT unit, from being a Commissioner in Lagos State.
‘The masquerade must be unveiled. This unholy alliance that has pushed our country towards precipice must be thoroughly checked and nipped in the bud,” he said.