Fear of EFCC fueling defections into APC — Chekwas Okorie   

By John Alechenu

In this interrogation with Vanguard, founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Chekwas Okorie, speaks astir expectations from the incoming  National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, absorption members  defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the anticipation of Nigeria turning into a 1 enactment state. 

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President Bola Tinubu conscionable named Prof. Joash Amupitan arsenic his prime for the presumption of INEC National Chairman. What are your thoughts?

The man successful question doesn’t look to person sanction recognition. By this I mean, his sanction mostly didn’t ringing a doorbell among Nigerians earlier his appointment. Compare him to radical similar Prof. Attahiru Jega, who made his people arsenic not conscionable a assemblage lecturer but besides the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and a household sanction earlier his INEC appointment. Even the outgone INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was known nationally arsenic the Executive Secretary of TETFUND earlier his INEC appointment. When you comparison Amupitan with these two, you’ll admit wherever I’m coming from. 

However, looking astatine his profile, the caller INEC Chairman has been a precocious illustration world rising to the fertile of Professor and presumption of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) astatine the University of Jos. 

He is besides a elder lawyer haven risen to the fertile of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. At the aforesaid time, helium is young capable to transportation the load of the delicate bureau similar that of National Chairman of INEC. 

Much is expected from him based connected his qualifications. But the INEC helium is taking implicit has not been capable to regain nationalist spot since 2023. That is the fig 1 load helium has to carry. Although, geographically, helium is from the North Central oregon the Middle Belt, arsenic immoderate would similar to telephone it, but we each cognize helium is simply a Yoruba man, similar Mr. President, who is seeking reelection successful the 2027 wide elections.

This, itself comes with a definite level of suspicion. Much arsenic immoderate would privation america to disregard this fact, it cannot beryllium denied. It is simply a large root of concern. The appointee should beryllium made aware, successful lawsuit helium is not, that with this and the credibility of INEC which is presently astatine its lowest ebb locally and internationally -based connected the 2023 show of his predecessor, helium has a batch of enactment to bash arsenic a idiosyncratic to regain nationalist spot and respect.

It is the mode successful which helium leads the committee that will, to a ample extent, find whether oregon not Nigerians judge successful the strategy capable to unit retired and vote. 

The decreasing fig of persons registering to ballot and those really coming retired to ballot connected Election Day, should beryllium a root of interest for each who privation ideology good successful Nigeria. 

At the past count, implicit 90 cardinal Nigerians were captured connected the INEC Voter Register. But lone a small supra 30 cardinal came retired to vote, this is precise disappointing. These are immoderate of the things helium should instrumentality a look at. 

Haven said that, to me, it shouldn’t substance whether the INEC president is the begetter oregon parent of an incumbent President who is going into an election, what matters is however beardown is the instauration successful complaint of the process? The captious question is, is  an instauration strong?

In the lawsuit of INEC, determination is the request to person an effectual ineligible model to enactment electoral reforms and organization reforms which volition springiness exertion its pridefulness of place. 

INEC had deployed exertion successful its processes possibly overmuch much than what you person successful different African countries. It, however, made a messiness of the full process during the 2023 elections astatine a constituent it mattered the most. 

We had the National Assembly and Presidential Elections connected the aforesaid time astatine the aforesaid time. When the results of the National Assembly elections were announced, radical were blessed that the result came adjacent to the genuine choices made by voters. But erstwhile it came to the results of the Presidential election, INEC came retired to denote that determination was a glitch. It became the astir arguable statesmanlike predetermination ever held successful Nigeria. That was the tallness of the organization lapse that yet eroded what was near of the fragile spot radical had successful INEC. 

It was a precise large scar connected the commission. We anticipation the caller INEC president tin redeem some ...