Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, the premier Igbo sociocultural organization, has criticized attempts to have INEC Chairman Mahmoud Yakubu removed from office.
President Bola Tinubu was persuaded to fire Yakubu by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, a former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.
Agbakoba had praised the Tinubu administration for important decisions previously made, like as the uniform exchange rate, the dismissal of EFCC Chairman Bawa Abdulrasheed and CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele. He urged Tinubu to intervene and dismiss Yakubu.
The National President of the Igbo group, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, however, asked Tibunu not to throw out the baby with the bathwater in a statement that was made accessible to journalists on Saturday.
Despite agreeing with Agbakoba on the other choices made by the Tinubu presidency, Okwu claimed that Yakubu’s dismissal was unnecessary at the moment.
“Despite the flaws we saw during the 2023 general elections, it was one of the best elections ever conducted in Nigeria history,” he said.
“We saw serving governors lose elections across the nation in Yakubu’s election, and we had popular National Assembly members lose elections. In previous elections held in the nation, this had not occurred.
“We are not excusing the mistakes made during the elections, but it is incorrect to completely discredit the commission’s efforts.
Even in the United States, which takes pleasure in being the center of global democracy, there is no flawless election.
Furthermore, Okwu cautioned against trying to get rid of Yakubu at this time, stating that “angry candidates are venting their rage before the election tribunals; how then can we get rid of the INEC chairman on whose table the bulk stops?”
“Yakubu should be allowed to continue leading INEC at least until the cases are resolved.”
He also suggested that efforts be made to build on the achievements won in the general elections of 2023.