Before the general election in 2023, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has issued a warning against any attempt to remove Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
AYCF blasted another group, Arewa Coalition, which called for the sacking of Yakubu.
The group’s National President, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, during a press conference in Kaduna on Friday said, “As a group of progressive-minded advocates, we totally disagree with the so-called Arewa Coalition calling for the sacking of the INEC Chairman.”
He asked Nigerians to disregard the call by Arewa Coalition, saying the group is made up of “attention seekers masquerading as campaigners for electoral sanity and accountability in INEC.”
Shettima continued by saying that any calls for the current INEC boss to be fired were unacceptable due to the better innovation that he and his team had brought to the electoral body.
As the upcoming election in 2023 draws near, he advised Nigerians to disregard any party attempting to get the INEC chairman removed and to support him in his efforts.
He said, “We have followed with keen interest an ongoing smear campaign and the call for the sacking of INEC National Chairman by a group acting as campaigners for electoral sanity and accountability in INEC. In fact, they’re attention-seekers.
“As a group of progressive-minded advocates, we totally disagree with the Arewa Coalition calling for the sack of the INEC National Chairman. Our reasons are as follows:
“The Arewa Citizens for Good Governance did not bother to check the spectacular achievements that INEC had made under Prof. Yakubu, before their allegations.
“The revolution in election results collections, using the BVAS and other electronic transmission devices is the first of its kind in Nigeria’s election history. The electoral umpire has proven its neutrality in elections since 2015, even when the current administration lost out in some elections.
“Professor Yakubu has built a name of transparency and accountability in the conduct of elections and efficiency in the choice of his team for all categories of elections over the years and we dare say he would sustain the tempo.”