Sumner Sambo, Director of News at Arise News, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against defending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, arguing that it is not the President’s role to assure Nigerians of the electoral body’s impartiality.
Sambo made the remark in response to President Tinubu’s recent assertion that INEC remains neutral and has not intimidated any political party or candidate.
The President made the comments on Tuesday during a meeting with the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at the State House in Abuja.
In response to the bishops’ call for free, fair, and credible polls in 2027, Tinubu dismissed opposition concerns as unfounded fears.“INEC is neutral.
They have never intimidated anyone. If political opponents are raising alarms, perhaps they are merely fearful of their own shadows and the uncertainty surrounding their affiliations, not me,” Tinubu said.
Reacting on Arise News, Sambo stated:“It is not the place of President Tinubu to tell Nigerians if INEC has been fair or not. Nigerians need to see fairness from INEC. INEC needs to distance itself from the government or people close to the government so we do not have a situation where people misread pronouncements from the president.”
The exchange highlights growing tensions and scrutiny over INEC’s perceived independence as the 2027 presidential race heats up, with major contenders including incumbent President Tinubu of the APC, Peter Obi of the NDC, and Atiku Abubakar of the ADC.
Sambo’s comments underscore calls for the electoral umpire to visibly maintain neutrality to build public confidence ahead of the polls.
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