Ayodele Fayose |
The former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has stated
that the Amina Zakari saga is a moral burden on the Presidency and the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Fayose said the Presidency was being pushed by desperation to rig the coming elections.
He described the outcry over the appointment of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s niece, Zakari as head of the INEC collation centre for the
general elections as a moral burden on the President Buhari, his party,
the APC and the electoral commission in particular.
He said the defense of the appointment by the Presidency and INEC was
a further show of despiration to rig the February 16 presidential
election despite the president’s glaring rejection by Nigerians.
He said this in a statement forwarded to DAILY POST on Saturday, by his Media Aide, Lere Olayinka.
He added that, “A president, who took oath of office that he will be
equitable and fair to all must be seen to be acting in accordance with
this oath and the moment issues like this are raised, it is not for INEC
and the Presidency to be rigid and act as if they don’t care.”
He described the Presidency’s defense that Amina Zakari was appointed
by a PDP government as puerile and unacceptable, saying, “When Amina
Zakari was appointed as INEC National Commissioner, President Buhari,
her blood relation was not a presidential candidate.
“In fact, the President had even vowed never to run for the
presidency after the 2011 election. Now that he is candidate and also a
sitting President, fairness and equity demands that she should step
aside from playing any role in this election.”
“Certain things can be good, but might not morally right. This issue
of Amina Zakari, a known blood relation of the APC presidential
candidate functioning as INEC head of collation centre is morally wrong.
“Possibility of bias is being raised, INEC and the Presidency should
be reminded of the position of Lord Denning on how the issue of
likelihood of bias should be viewed.
“Even if Amina Zakari can be as impartial as she can be,
nevertheless, now that Nigerians are thinking that there is real
likelihood of her being bias, she should excuse herself. More so that
she is not the only National Commissioner in INEC.
“Should the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar and other presidential
candidates also have their relatives as part of INEC committee on
collation of results?
“Therefore, the Presidency and INEC have the moral burden to prove to
Nigerians that they are not in any way out to shortchanged them.”
Accusing the APC federal government of desperation to rig the
elections, Fayose said “it won’t be a surprise if tomorrow, Nigerians
are told that the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, Idris
Ibrahim has been extended, not because he has done well protecting
Nigerians, but in furtherance to the plot to use the security agencies
to rig the elections.”
He said former President Goodluck Jonathan’s patriotic decision to
appoint Prof Atahiru Jega as INEC Chairman was the reason President
Buhari won the 2015 election and the President should rather be
concerned with sustaining that legacy of credible elections that he
inherited instead of desperate pursuit of his reelection.
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