Peoples Democratic Party has rejected the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as the acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) saying she is too close to the presidency.
While briefing journalists after the NWC meeting at the party headquarters, the National Publicity Secretary of party, Chief Olisa Metuh, said “The PDP has declared the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as unacceptable and demand that President Buhari changes her immediately.
“The situation in INEC since the PDP government reformed and granted it operational autonomy has been peaceful, but Tuesday’s untidy overruling of Jega and appointing of Zakari as acting chairman which, we gathered was influenced by personal relationship with the presidency and one of the new governors of the North-west, ostensibly to pave the way for the APC at the electoral tribunals, has completely eroded public trust in the commission.
“Whereas the PDP recognises the right and powers of the president to appoint the Chairman of INEC and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), we reject attempts as in the case of the AGF to paint the process as transparent and objective when such was not the case, but brought to question the sincerity and commitment of the present administration to due process.
“In INEC, the PDP states in unequivocal terms that we cannot, as critical stakeholders fold our hands and watch while the presidency perpetuate actions that diminish the independence of the electoral commission.
“Our reasons include the fact that due process was not observed in the appointment and that Zakari has shown in the last elections that she is manifestly bias in favour of the APC. Finally her appointment is a clear case of nepotism.
“We ask, if they trusted Jega and commended him for conducting free and fair elections, why would they not trust him on who to hold forth in the commission until a substantive Chairman is appointed, rather than appointing someone who is retiring from the commission in the next three weeks?
“With the prevailing record of Mr. president on appointments, it is unlikely that a substantive INEC Chairman will be appointed in the next one year. Is there a hidden agenda? Has Mrs. Zakari been handed a script to act given that we have cases in the tribunals in addition to the forthcoming elections in Kogi and Bayelsa?
“It is indeed amusing that a party in power in a press conference on Tuesday claimed progress in the fight against terrorism when the effort has lost steam in the last 32 days with insurgents, who under the Goodluck Jonathan administration were already at the verge of surrender in the Sambisa now surging back into the country.
“How can a political party attempt to deceive Nigerians and the president when the economy has plummeted under their watch with a terrifying crippling of foreign and domestic investments and the stock market losing over N350 billion because of the prevailing uncertainty and confusion in the system?
“More astonishing is the fact that a ruling party and a government of a sovereign nation and strong international voice like Nigeria are parading mere promissory notes from foreign interests as achievements, instead of settling down to galvanise resources and potentials that abound in our country.”
In a statement by issued by the presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, the Presidency urged PDP to stop boring the press with baseless accusations.
Adesina said “We have noted with regret, the latest tirade against President Buhari issued today by the PDP spokesman, Metuh.
“Other than boring reporters at his press conference with a rehash of baseless allegations of inaction against the president, Metuh clearly had nothing new to say apart from his charge of nepotism and partisanship in the appointment of the acting INEC chairman, which also lacks any factual foundation.
“President Buhari certainly did not ‘overrule’ Jega in appointing Zakari as the acting INEC Chairman, as Metuh alleged.
“Jega’s purported handing over to another commissioner cannot be construed as an “appointment” because only the President has the constitutional authority, which he exercised to appoint Zakari as acting Chairman of INEC.
“Contrary to Metuh’s allegations, President Buhari’s appointment of Zakari as Acting INEC Chariman was based entirely on merit, her vast experience in the internal operations of INEC and the President’s commitment to affirmative action in support of gender equality, because, apart from being fully qualified for the position, Mrs Zakari was the only woman among the six commissioners considered.
“Due process was certainly followed in Zakari’s appointment. Metuh’s spurious claims of her appointment having been influenced by “personal relationship with the presidency” and a governor in the North-west “to pave the way for the APC” at election tribunals should be disregarded by the public.”