The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has expressed concerns over the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a hitch-free, off-season gubernatorial election in Anambra State.
Chairman, Media Committee of CUPP, Barrister Chukwudi Ezeobika, who made the remarks, while reacting to INEC’s decision to declare inconclusive the Saturday/Sunday governorship elections in Anambra State via a statement issued in Abuja, questioned the capacity of the Commission to handle future elections.
The CUPP noted that the massive and fundamental failure of BVAS machines deployed by INEC has clearly shown that the Commission lacks the capacity and or competence to conduct future elections in Nigeria.
According to the statement, “Having commenced preparations for this election for over a year, it is indeed worrisome that many indigenes of Anambra State who turned out en masse to vote on Saturday, could not exercise their franchise due to gross incompetence on the part of INEC and its Staff.
“Having extended the scheduled election to a future date, the cost implications of such extension on Security agencies and Stakeholders especially political parties, cannot be overemphasized and currently hangs on a balance.
“The inability of INEC to organize and conduct a single gubernatorial election in one out of the 36 States of the federation calls for serious concerns and clearly confirms that the Independent National Electoral Commission (as currently constituted) lacks the capacity and or competence to conduct future elections in Nigeria.
This ineptitude on the part of Frof. Mahmood Yakubu led INEC has furthermore, exposed a disturbing level of lack of sincerity and trust in the Chairman of INEC despite several assurances from him, of a credible election in Anambra State.
“Declaring the election as inconclusive has once more echoed our protracted concerns and calls for the removal of Prof. Yakubu Mahmood as the Chairman of the Commission as he remains grossly incompetent and uniquely unqualified to conduct future elections in Nigeria and or continue as the Chairman of INEC.
“His continued disobedience to subsisting Orders and Judgments of Courts of competent jurisdictions shows Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s disdain and disregard for the Rule of Law as he is in contempt of the Court of Appeal Judgment which ordered the Commission to relist 22 political parties.
“The effect of this wrongful exclusion of some political parties by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and his disobedience to subsisting Court of Appeal Judgement has dealt a huge blow to and voided the entire exercise in Anambra State.
“In view of the foregoing, we call for the resignation of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as the Chairman of INEC as he no longer commands the respect attaching to such office and further demand a thorough investigation into the huge sums budgeted for the Anambra State gubernatorial election which has brought so much shame and embarrassment to Ndi Anambra in particular and the Nation at large.
