Appointment well deserved, IPAC hails INEC chairman

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has congratulated Mahammod Yakubu over his re-appointment as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In statement released on Tuesdaym Leonard Nzenwa, national chairman of the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria, described Yakubu’s re-appointment as a blessing to the polity.

The IPAC chairman praised the INEC chairman for his “remarkable digitalisation programme which has transformed the way elections have been conducted in the country in the last four years.”

“The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, therefore urges Prof. Yakubu to Continue with the strident effort to help in reformation of the electoral process, even as it requests the chairman to put his foot down to ensure that Nigerians votes counts in all elections in the country going forward,” the statement read.

“The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, calls on all stakeholders to work and support the re-appointed INEC chairman effort to make all polls in the country to be inclusive, fair, free and credible.

“It is remarkable that Prof. Mohammood Yakubu’s re-appointment is the first time an INEC chairman is re-appointed in the history of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has welcomed the re-appointment of Yakubu.

The election observer group  in a statement  signed by  its  executive  director, Faith Nwadishi, described the appointment well deserved owing to the incremental progress made by the election management body under the leadership of Yakubu.

The group listed some of the gains recorded under Yakubu’s leadership to include Introduction of continuous voters registration as prescribed in the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, Introduction of the INEC election result viewing portal, Introduction of the Z-Pad as an additional electronic means of voter identification and transmission of results from polling units in real-time.

Others include gradual return of credibility in our electoral process as attested by the Edo and Ondo States 2020 Governorship elections and internal reforms along the electoral value chain.

The group expressed confidence that the re-appointment is well deserved and a great opportunity to build on the electoral reforms already started.