The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has distanced himself from the speculations that he might be having political ambition, describing as ‘preposterous proposition’, the speculation that he wants to join the 2023 presidential race.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, Yakubu emphasised that his position as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election are onerous enough for him.
According to the statement which was sighted by Africa Today News, New York; ‘Our attention has been drawn to innuendoes in certain quarters that Nigerians should not be surprised if the INEC Chairman joins the Presidential race or urging him to do so.
‘It is a preposterous proposition. It will not happen. The Chairman remains an umpire committed to free, fair and credible elections.
‘His constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election are onerous enough for him to even contemplate straying into extraneous matters at variance with the law, morality and his personal principles.
‘The Chairman will continue to discharge his responsibilities without affection for, or illwill against, any political party or candidate,’ the statement submitted.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the speculations became rife after the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefelie picked up the nomination of the APC to vie for next year’s Presidential elections.
Many Nigerians had taken to social media to lampoon the country’s chief banker while calling on him to resign with immediate effect.
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akerodolu, Oby Ezekwesili and the Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman of the Governors Forum of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Aminu Tambuwal had recently joined the growing calls on Emefelie to resign from his position.