By John Nwokocha Abuja
The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has congratulated Professor Mahmood Yakubu on his re-appointment as INEC national Chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement made available to The New Narrative online newspaper in Abuja on Tuesday, IPAC noted that Professor Yakubu’s re-appointment, was a welcome development and a blessing to the polity. The statement signed by its national chairman Dr. Leonard Nzenwa
added “restating that only few helmsmen at the Commision have been able to achieve respectable results like he has done during his first tenure”.
IPAC further notes that Yakubu’s re-appointment is to
“Recounting that Prof. Yakubu mounted the saddle of INEC four months after the exit of his predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who presided over the crucial 2015 general election that ushered President Muhammadu Buhari as president, the IPAC chairman praised the INEC chairman’s remarkable digitalization programme which has transformed the way elections have been conducted in the country in the last four years”.
According to IPAC “The success of the Edo and Ondo 2020 Gubernatorial Polls are clear examples of the positive technology and digitization trajectory which Prof. Yakubus’ first tenure gave to Nigeria.
IPAC, however, urged 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 count in all elections in the country going forward.
IPAC, called 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.
In the same vein the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has said it welcomes the re-appointment of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s confirmation by the Senate for another five-year term as Chairman INEC by President Mohammadu Buhari.
“This is an appointment well deserved owing to the incremental progress made by the Election Management Body under the leadership of Professor Yakubu.
Under his leadership, we have seen the Electoral Umpire interpret its roles and mandates accordingly despite challenges”. Faith Nwadishi, CTA’s executive director said in a statement on Tuesday.
She stated that some of Yakubu’s key achievements 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.
“Gradual return of credibility in our electoral process as attested by the Edo and Ondo States 2020 Governorship elections.
“Internal reforms along the electoral value chain.
This re-appointment is well deserved and a great opportunity to build on the electoral reforms already started. CTA therefore, calls on all stakeholders, to give their support to sustain the gains we have made in our electoral reforms under Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
“We call on the President and the National Assembly to quicken the amendment of the Electoral Act.”
In their own reaction
the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP while congratulating Yakubu on his reappointment urges him to use his
second term in office to cleanse the electoral process and consolidate on the gains of Edo and Ondo elections.
A statement signed by spokesman of CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said “We will be watching him closely”.
“The shifted elections earlier scheduled for 31st October, 2020 would be the first test of what this second term would be for.
“Nigerians will expect nothing less than a very credible, free and fair 2023 general election from him.”
“As to be longest serving Chairman of INEC, we call on Prof. Yakubu to deploy all his now garnered experience in the last five years to hit the ground running knowing that there will be no third chance”.
