Atiku accuses Yakubu of rigging election for Tinubu who nominated him for INEC chairmanship
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar says disclosure by Rotimi Amaechi that Bola Tinubu nominated Mahmood Yakubu for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairmanship confirms reports that Yakubu colluded with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential vote to undermine democracy.
Yakubu declared Tinubu, a member of the APC, winner of the presidential election on March 1.
Yakubu’s compromise was the reason why presidential election results were not uploaded to INEC server (iReV) on February 25 when the poll was held, Atiku said in a statement he issued through his Media Aide Phrank Shaibu.
He also insisted it was the same reason why Yakubu continued to announce the results despite protests from other political parties.
Atiku was reacting to disclosure at the weekend by Rotimi, a member of the APC former Transportation Minister, that Yakubu was recommended for re-appointment as INEC Chairman in 2020 by a member of Bola Tinubu’s camp.
Amaechi made the disclosure in Ubima in reaction to the process of the governorship and state Assembly elections in Rivers where Nyesom Wike is Governor.
He said Yakubu had also worked as Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUN) when Wike was Education Minister, a historical connection he claimed oiled the collusion between Wike and Yakubu to rig the vote in Rivers.
Yakubu was TETFUND Executive Secretary from August 2007 to August 2012. Wike was Education Minister of State from July 2011 and acted as Education Minister from 2013 to 2015.
Total failure of governance, says Amaechi
“There is a total failure of governance in the country – complete failure. Police are helping PDP to arrest APC members and SDP members,” Amaechi said, per ThisDay.
“Gongs are being beaten about in the whole communities asking people who will not vote PDP not to come or they would be beaten. People are being beaten, the governor (Wike) has declared people wanted, and nobody has spoken.
“The governor has no right to declare anybody wanted. The IG (Inspector General of Police) is doing nothing, and nobody is doing anything – complete failure. There is voter apathy in Rivers. Nobody wants to come out because people are scared.
“INEC is a complete failure. There are those of us who opposed the reappointment of Yakubu Mahmood. The person who nominated him is a member of Tinubu’s camp. So what are you expecting?”
“Here in Rivers State, Mahmood worked under Wike as Executive Secretary of TETFund; so what you are having in Rivers is that APC and other parties are contesting, not against PDP, but against INEC, against police.”
Disclosure confirms ‘worst fears’
Atiku said Amaechi’s bombshell confirmed “our worst fears that Yakubu’s INEC is working for the APC.
“Former Governor Amaechi’s revelation is only a confirmation of what everyone always knew. That INEC under the leadership of Yakubu is inside the deepest corner of Bola Tinubu’s pocket.”
The PDP has previously alleged Tinubu is on a systematic state capture where the police, INEC, and the judiciary are in his pocket, per reporting by PREMIUM TIMES.
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Unholy alliance between INEC, police
“Is it not surprising that the AIG who was deployed in Rivers State to supervise the governorship and presidential elections is Kayode Egbetokun, a known ally of Tinubu who also served as Tinubu’s Chief Security Officer while he was Governor of Lagos?” the PDP said in a statement.
“This unholy alliance between INEC and the police is the reason why the election in Rivers State remains one of the most rigged in the history of Nigeria. Indeed, the journey to state capture has begun.”
Atiku said when the story of the Nigerian elections is told, the name of Yakubu will be mentioned for the wrong reasons.
“After promising Nigerians that he would upload election results from polling units, he changed his mind at the last minute and then blamed it on glitches. Truth be told, Yakubu was the only glitch because of his incestuous affair with Tinubu’s APC.
“His predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, conducted two credible presidential elections in 2011 and 2015. The 2015 election was so credible that it witnessed the lowest number of election petitions and court disputes.
“Rather than improve on this, Yakubu put his personal interest far and above that of over 200 million Nigerians.
“He claimed before the election at Chatham House that the electoral system he put in place was so advanced that the human body odour could be used for voter accreditation if he wanted. But this was all part of his grand deception.
“Despite receiving higher allocations than any other INEC chairman in history, Yakubu could not conduct a credible election. This is indeed shameful for a man who over 200 million Nigerians saw as their last hope.
“It was also disheartening that the INEC chairman continued to award sensitive election contracts to APC candidates.
“In the same election season, INEC awarded sensitive contracts to companies owned by Senator Sani Musa of APC and Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani, the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa. It is indeed safe to say that Nigeria’s democracy has been sold to the APC by Yakubu.”
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