By Pascal Oparada
Nigerians have expressed shock and questioned the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of his blood relative, Amina Zakari to head the committee that would collate the presidential result for Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
Amina was acting INEC Chair in 2015 when Buhari became president following the resignation of former Chairman, Atahiru Jega. Sources said she would have become substantive Chairman of INEC but for public outcry.
Her recent appointment by the electoral body has further dampened the moral of many which doubt Buhari would deliever a free and credible election in the February poll.
Virulent critic of Buhari and spokesperson for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode said there is little faith Buhari would deliver a credible election as he promised with the recent appointment.
“Amina Zakari, Buhari’s neice and a member of his staff when he was Chairman of PTF has been appointed Chairperson of the INEC Advisory Committee & Pres. Election Collation Center Committee. Do you still believe that there will be a free and fair election in Nigeria on Feb. 16th?” Fani-Kayode said on Twitter.
Immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, said sarcastically that it would have been better to appoint Buhari’s children as head of the committee instead of Zakari.
“The same @inecnigeria that is promising free and fair election turning around to appoint a know blood relation of President Buhari, a candidate in the election as head of its Collation Committee? Why are these people so brazen in their plot to impose themselves on Nigerians?”
“Instead of INEC appointing, Amina Zakari, a blood relation (niece) of President Buhari, as the Chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee, why not just appoint one of the President’s children as INEC Chairman?” Fayose said.
Many Nigerians slammed the electoral body for what they termed brazen disregard for the feelings of Nigerians.
The main opposition party, PDP, has rejected the appointment.
The main opposition party said in a statement signed by Director, Media & Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan.
The statement reads, “The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation vehemently and unequivocally rejects, in its entirety, the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, President Buhari’s blood relation, as head of the collation of results in the same election in which her uncle, President Buhari, is a candidate.
“The appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari constitutes a direct violence against the presidential election and the PDP will not, in any way, whatsoever, accept it.
“This is the same Amina Zakari who headed the ICT Department of INEC. It will interest Nigerians to note that this is the same Amina Zakari that was alleged to have played some roles in the 2018 governorship election in Osun state.
“In appointing Mrs. Amina Zakari to head the collation of this Presidential election, Prof. Yakubu has confirmed that he has been compromised,” the statement read.
There were insinuations that the INEC Chariman, Mahmud Yakubu was invited to Presidential Villa by Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari few days just to tell Yakubu to appoint Zakari as the head of the committee.
Zakari worked with Buhari when he was Petroleum Trust Fund Chairman under late military ruler, Sani Abacha.
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