Buhari’s niece, Amina Zakari to head INEC's National Collation Center Committee

Amina Zakar

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Thursday inaugurated an advisory committee for the 2019 general elections.

The advisory committee is headed by Air Vice Marshall Ahmed Tijani, Muazu while the 2019 National Collation Center Committee is headed by Amina Zakari.

By her new appointment, Zakari will be responsible for announcing the results of the presidential election.

The former INEC Director of Operations, who hails from Daura, Katsina State, President Muhammadu Buhari’s hometown was last year moved to Health and Welfare arm of the Commission, following public outcry.

Speaking during the inauguration, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu said the committee will be responsible for the collation of results.

He said the committee will operate from the International Conference Centre in Abuja, where results of the Presidential election will be announced.

“It will serve as the secretariat for collation of results and venue for briefing of international observers and the media,” he said.

Reacting to the announcement, a former Director of strategy/Communication under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Jackson Ude in a tweet wrote: “Buhari’s sister in INEC, Amina Zakari, who was removed as Director of Operations and moved to Health and Welfare, has now been made Director, National Collation.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had last year alleged that Buhari’s presidency was plotting to use Zakari to rig the 2019 presidential election.

Against this backdrop, the former ruling party had called on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, not to “succumb to pressure by the Presidency, to return Mrs. Amina Zakari as Director of Operations.”