Don’t Ignore Alleged Plans To Eliminate Yakubu, Stop Use Of BVAS, YRLF Tells Nigerians
Northern youth under the aegis of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) have urged Nigerians to dismiss calls by some unpatriotic citizens to fire the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
According to them, INEC under Yakubu has shown neutrality in all elections since 2015.
In a statement issued yesterday in Kaduna, signed by its chairman, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the forum said it has followed the ongoing smear campaign against the helmsman with great interest and calls for his dismissal, calling those behind it “a group of agitators disguised as activists for electoral sanity and accountability at INEC, when in fact they are seeking attention.”
Shettima said: “As a group of progressive-minded advocates, we strongly disagree with the so-called Arewa Coalition calling for the dismissal of the INEC National President… Arewa Citizens for Good Governance did not bother to check how many spectacular INEC achievements under the Prof. Yakubu recorded before his charade of spurious claims and accusations.
“The circumstances under which INEC has been effectively planning, coordinating and generally managing its operations are unprecedented, considering the financial difficulties Nigeria is currently facing due to runaway inflation.”
Meanwhile, a southwestern socio-political group, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF), warned Nigerians yesterday not to dismiss attempts by underground groups to remove Professor Yakubu from office, as well as stop the use of the Bimodal Accreditation System. of Voters (BVAS). ) for the 2023 general election.
In a statement, the forum’s chairman, Akin Malaolu, said “some outlaws would stop at nothing to stop anything they see as detrimental to their personal ambitions in the upcoming election.”
Wondering why such a nefarious rumor should be circulating at a time when INEC is preparing to hold free, fair and credible elections, Malaolu wrote.
“Those who love Nigeria and care about its continued existence need to stand up and speak out against the idea, rumor or not, that some unscrupulous people are trying to make these claims.”
The statement continued: “From the testimonies of many known and unknown political actors across the country, and as documented by many media outlets, we have observed the following: that certain sections of the country still want to retain power at all costs. , regardless of its implications, and they have people in other sections of the country to help them.
“That another section of the country fully and completely believes that it is their turn to hold the presidency, and that section believes in a true and fair election,” the statement said, adding: “We must warn those who orchestrate such moves to think twice. times. and retrace his steps so as not to ignore the true spirit behind the creation of an independent institution to manage our elections…”
“As thought leaders in the South West, we have seen what can happen to Nigeria if the necessary steps are not taken to rein in electoral abuses. President Muhammadu Buhari, should not be asleep or completely distant as these dangerous dark clouds close in on all of us because we may not have a country called Nigeria again. We have warned.”
