Former Aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was plotting to compel the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to resign over the commission’s refusal to allow the party field candidates for elective posts in Zamfara.
Fani-Kayode, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, made the claim in a series of tweets via his verifed Twitter handle on Saturday.
He further accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of plotting to replace Yakubu with Amina Zakari, who opposition figures have identified as the president’s niece by marriage.
Recall that INEC had set October 7, 2018 deadline for parties to conclude their primary elections to elect candidates, but divisions within the Zamfara state chapter of the APC prevented an INEC-supervised election from taking place for the governorship and legislative positions.
Consequently, in a letter signed by INEC’s Acting Secretary, Okechukwu Ndeche, and addressed to APC’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the commission said the party could no longer conduct any primary elections outside of the originally-stated window and would not be allowed to participate in any election except the Presidential poll.
But the Federal Government through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), recently advised the commission to postpone all other elections in Zamfara except the presidential election, basing its advice on its interpretation of a Court of Appeal ruling.
Senior lawyers, including Femi Falana (SAN) and Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), condemned the advice, saying it was a subtle way of controlling the agency, which should be an independent body.
Speaking on the APC’s alleged plot to force Yakubu to resign over the matter, Fani-Kayode said, “The attempt to force the Chairman of INEC to field APC candidates in Zamfara or end up losing his job is condemnable.
“Buhari you are playing with fire. Removing the INEC Chair and replacing him with Amina Zakari will not be the end of ur problems: it will be the beginning of them.”
See tweet:
The attempt to force the Chairman of INEC to field APC candidates in Zamfara or end up losing his job is condemnable. Buhari u are playing with fire. Removing the INEC Chair and replacing him with Amina Zakari will not be the end of ur problems: it will be the beginning of them.
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) February 16, 2019
Read Also: Saraki reacts to election postponement