2023 Elections: INEC Speaks on Mapped-Out Plans Ahead of Polls, Alleged Call for Chairman's Sack
- Nigerians have been assured of a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in the forthcoming 2023 polls
- The assurance was handed to Nigerians by the commissioner for information and voter education for the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)
- According to the commission, the INEC chairman's position is a serious one and Mahmood Yakubu cannot be sacked without due process followed
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has revealed that it is under pressure to deliver free, fair and credible elections to Nigerians in 2023.
Fetus Okoye, the commissioner for information and voter education for INEC, while speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today, made the disclosure.
Source: Original
Okoye noted that the commission on its own is prepared to deliver a credible election that will in turn meet all the international standards and expectations of all.
His words:
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“Yes, we are under pressure from the Nigerian people to deliver a credible, fair and transparent election in 2023, and that’s the only pressure I know about.”
Okoye, however, dismissed a recent call for the sack of the commission's chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, while stating clearly the rigorous process for such a move.
He said
"The position of the INEC chairman is a very serious position and it is a constitutionally protected position. The process for the appointment of the INEC chairman is very rigorous process.
"The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes nominations and then goes to the council of state.
“Thereafter he goes to the National Assembly for possible confirmation. Now the process and the procedure, the mechanism for the removal of the INEC chairman is also a very rigorous process. First, there must be an allegation and that allegation must conform to the provision of the constitution."
He added that any allegations against the commission's chairman must first be taken to the president.
According to Okoye, the president after receiving such a petition approaches the National Assembly asking the Senate in its instance to remove the electoral management body.
2023 polls: Does INEC have statutory power to force Tinubu, Atiku, Obi others to debate? Fresh fact emerges
The chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, had earlier said that the commission has no power to force candidates to debate.
He said this during the commission's quarterly consultative meeting in Abuja on Thursday, October 27.
The INEC boss acknowledged that most candidates are scared to debate for fear of making mistakes while attempting probing questions.
2023 polls: "Nobody can hack our devices" - INEC boasts
In another development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that its electronic devices deployed for the 2023 elections cannot be hacked.
Jude Okwuonu, the administrative secretary of INEC in Anambra state, gave the assurance in a sensitisation workshop held for newsmen.
Emeka Nnaji, the head of the department, of ICT/VR, also spoke on the measures INEC has put in place to ensure hackers do not tamper with the devices.
Source: Legit.ng
