PDP asks IGP, DSS DG, to probe INEC chair for ‘electoral offences’

 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Usman Baba, inspector-general of police and Yusuf Bichi, director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), to “immediately” investigate Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged electoral offences.

 

Addressing a press conference on Friday in Abuja, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, said Yakubu should be investigated and prosecuted for allegedly breaching provisions of the 2022 electoral act in the conduct of the presidential election.

 

The opposition party also reiterated its earlier demand for the resignation of Yakubu.

 

The PDP claimed that the plan by INEC to reconfigure the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) devices for the governorship election is a “scheme to erase and destroy evidence of its manipulation of the presidential election, deny Nigerians and political parties, especially our party and candidate access to relevant information required to prosecute our case at the presidential election tribunal”.

“From all indications, the INEC under Mahmood Yakubu was compromised to rig the election by brazenly violating the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022,” Ologunagba said.

 

“By flagrantly violating these provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as INEC’s regulations, guidelines and Manual for the election, Mahmood Yakubu is not only culpable of serious electoral offence but also betrayed, thrashed and threw overboard the trust, confidence and hope Nigerians reposed in him and the electoral commission to deliver a free, fair and credible election in the country.

 

“The continuing stay of Mahmood Yakubu in office as chairman of INEC is, therefore, vexatious, injurious to the integrity of the electoral commission and an unpardonable assault to the credibility of our electoral process, the sensibility of Nigerians and the international community.

“Moreover, Mahmood Yakubu’s stay in office is capable of paving the way for the suppression, tampering and destruction of critical evidence required to further expose the infractions and violations by the Commission at the Presidential Election Tribunal.

 

“This fear is evidenced by the desperation of INEC to reconfigure the BVAS devices to erase vital data contained therein.

 

“Consequently, the PDP demands that the chairman of INEC Mahmood Yakubu immediately step down from office, having abused the confidence and dashed the hope of millions of Nigerians as well as political parties and the International Community for a free, fair and credible election.

 

“Nigerians no longer have faith in Mahmood Yakubu’s capacity and integrity to manage a democratic institution as sensitive as INEC.

 

“Mahmood Yakubu’s exit as chairman of INEC will be the first step towards sanitising the electoral commission and restoring the confidence of Nigerians especially as the nation prepares for the rescheduled March 18, 2023 governorship and state assembly elections.

 

“Furthermore, the PDP demands that the inspector general of police and the director-general of the DSS immediately commence investigations into the electoral violations and manipulations by INEC with the view to prosecuting Mahmood Yakubu and other officials of the commission for electoral offences.

 

“In the same vein, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should open an investigation into allegations that certain top officials of INEC were heavily compromised financially to manipulate the electoral process.”