Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has alleged that Prof. Mahmood Yakubu was nominated to chair the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by a member of the camp of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
Amaechi made this disclosure speaking on Saturday, March 18 while speaking to pressmen after casting his vote at Ward 8, Unit 14, Ubima Community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The former governor of Rivers expressed disappointment with the ongoing governorship and state house of assembly elections in the state.
He also explained why he opposed the reapportionment of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stating clearly that the INEC boss lacked the capacity to deliver a credible poll.
He also chided the police in Rivers State for allegedly compromising the process and taking sides with a party in the contest.
Read Also: 2023: How Amaechi, Tonye Cole Worked Against Tinubu – Wike
Amaechi, who aired his view on Arise News national television interview session monitored in Abuja, said that as a member of the cabinet of the present administration, he vehemently opposed Yakubu’s reapportionment because of what he dubbed “lack of capacity”, stressing that he has been vindicated by what has been seen with the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
He explained that the Rivers State government has been paying the salaries of staff of INEC in the state for over a year and that even when the matter was raised before the commission, the matter was literally ignored as a non-issue.
Amaechi said all political parties in the election in Rivers State were actually not running against the PDP but against the INEC and Police, and wondered why the police would consent to arrest candidates of the APC, a day before the election without any evidence of wrongdoing.
The former Transport Minister who said he had long been prevailed by associates and lawyers to maintain a dignified silence, said he was forced to come out to question why a “boy will stay somewhere, write names and give the police and police will swing to action” arresting candidates and agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Asked what he did regarding the police he allegedly accused of compromising the process, Amaechi said he is not President Muhammadu Buhari.