The immediate 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 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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