HUMAN Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), on Sunday, asked President Bola Tinubu to dismiss the Chairman of, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu over some unscrupulous Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) found culpable of electoral malpractices in the 2023 general elections.
HURIWA in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the President, if he means well for the country and wants institutional and electoral reforms established, should immediately sack Yakubu and his RECs, who betrayed the trust of over 21 million Nigerians that voted in the February 25 presidential poll.
The group said that following the suspension of Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa by the President, the dismissal and probe of Mahmood Yakubu for alleged electoral heist in the 2023 general elections should instantly follow.
HURIWA therefore backed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, who said Yakubu has to leave his role as the INEC boss so as not to impede the ongoing electoral reforms in Nigeria.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) also said the conduct of the elections by INEC fell short of expectations by Nigerians.
Onwubiko said,m: “It is on record that the presidential election conducted by INEC on February 25, 2023 was marred by various electoral malpractices, voters’ suppression, violence, the failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), amongst other dysfunctions.
“In fact, both presidential and most of the governorship elections are being challenged at Tribunals in states. The visible misconduct by some top INEC officials including that of suspended REC in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari is still fresh in the minds of Nigerians. Yet, nothing has been heard of Yunusa-Ari.
“It is also on record that credible International and local organizations have rated the 2023 general elections as a sham. If President Bola Tinubu means well for Nigeria, he needs to unbundle INEC and throw away the rotten head and all affiliates that are contaminated. He needs to remove the current corrupt crop of national commissioners and the hierarchy remain in place.”
