Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has criticized the current chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, alleging that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not have been registered or won the 2015 general elections if Yakubu had been in charge at the time.
Amaechi praised former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for ensuring a transparent electoral process that led to the APC’s registration and eventual victory in 2015.
According to Amaechi, “The ground rules were clear.” He stated that Jega’s leadership provided clear ground rules, which allowed the APC to comply with registration requirements and ultimately win the elections.
Amaechi alleged that INEC under Yakubu is already showing signs of bias and that the current chairman’s leadership style is comparable to that of Maurice Iwu, a former INEC chairman known for controversy.
He said, “The current chairman of INEC, if he was the chairman of INEC in 2015, we would not have won.” Amaechi also stated, “The current chairman of INEC can only be compared to Iwu.” He expressed concerns that the electoral process has become less transparent and more prone to manipulation under Yakubu’s leadership.
Amaechi’s comments highlight concerns about the current state of Nigeria’s electoral process and the potential for bias in the administration of elections. He noted, “Already, INEC is biased. So, the only thing I can tell you now is that, looking at the way Nigeria has run the election, even the Option A4 led us forward.”
