The parties asked Yakubu to step aside from his role as INEC Chairman for a “credible personality” outside the commission to take his place.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Three political parties have called on the INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to step down from his role over the 2023 elections which they say was compromised.
The parties — which are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party and the African Democratic Congress — in a joint press conference on Tuesday, in Abuja, alleged that the February 25 polls were marred with violence, rigging and intimidation of voters.
Presenting the parties’ position, the LP’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, said: “We are therefore constrained by this development to state that INEC compromised the integrity of this election even before collation commenced at the polling units.
“Section 60 sub-section 5 of the Electoral Act says that the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballots in a manner as prescribed by the commission.
“A failure to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the guidelines makes it imperative that all results recently uploaded on the IReV portal must be updated before they are announced.
“INEC went back on that promise…This election is not free and far from being fair and transparent.
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“We shall not be part of the electoral process currently going on at the National Collation Centre and we demand that this sham of an election be immediately cancelled.
“We also call for a fresh election to be carried out in accordance to the laid down INEC procedure. We therefore call on Yakubu to step aside from his role.”
The parties asked Yakubu to step aside from his role as INEC Chairman for a “credible personality” outside the commission to take his place and oversee the process that would be acceptable to all stakeholders and will restore the confidence of the international community, the democratic process and institutions.
“We have a responsibility to the millions of Nigerians who put their faith in us and our presidential candidates to defend our country from the forces that seek to tear us apart,” Abure said.
The parties therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stand by his promise to Nigerians to leave the legacy of a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
Abure said, “President Buhari, this is the time of great test of your integrity, use your office to save Nigeria from this electoral mismanagement and save your legacy.
“We call on Nigerians to join us in defending the democracy of our country.”
