THE Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena has alleged that the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hired a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) as an ‘election consultant’ ahead next month general elections.
Speaking with newsmen at the weekend, Nabena, who declined to mention the name of the former INEC chairman called on relevant security agencies to investigate the veracity of his allegation.
He said: “Following the exposure of the PDP’s initial plot to use Russian hackers to compromise INEC servers, the PDP has now hired a former INEC Chairman as an election consultant. This INEC Chairman was notorious for rigging elections for the PDP over the years.
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“The plan is to use INEC officials who remain loyal to the former INEC Chairman and under his payroll to compromise the system from within.”
On the controversy trailing the appointment of one of the INEC commissioners, Mrs. Amina Zakari as chairperson of the Commission ad hoc committee on National Collation Centre for the 2019 elections, the APC spokesperson dismissed the opposition against her appointment as a non issue as he further claimed that it was a distraction orchestrated by the PDP whom he alleged was scheming to rig the elections.
“The baseless protest is a ploy to create a distraction for their (PDP’s) election rigging and hacking plans.
“The PDP has deliberately chosen to be blind to the fact that Mrs Amina Zakari is not a blood relation of the President as it alleges. In fact, her appointment was done by their very own former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Besides, INEC has publicly stated the roles of its recently inaugurated ad-hoc committees. The collation centre committee chaired by Mrs Amina Zakari is in charge of operational logistics of the centre such as electricity, internet, live transmission as well as accreditation for access to the International Conference Centre, (ICC) and security of the venue.
“Mrs Amina Zakari’s committee is not saddled with actual collation of results. Only the chairman of INEC, who is the returning officer for the presidential election, decides the validity of votes.”
The INEC, however, allayed fears that its system or staff of the Commission could be compromised by anyone to undermine the electoral process.
Speaking with Nigerian Tribune in a telephone interview, Rotimi Oyekanmi, media aide to INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu dismissed the allegation raised by the APC spokesperson as unfounded.
He said:”It will be pointless for anybody to seek to influence election results because INEC has several robust measures in place to protect the sanctity of the results right from the polling unit level. Don’t forget that political parties will also have their agents at all polling units, who will witness activities before, during and after the elections and then endorse the official results.
“Therefore any attempt by any individual to hire foot soldiers from anywhere with the sole intent of doctoring results in the forthcoming general elections is bound to fail.”
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