Nigerian human rights activist and writer, Professor Chidi Odinkalu has challenged the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to make good his threat of suing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for character assassination.
JOURNALIST101 recalls that the PDP on Friday, said that: “From all indications, the INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu was compromised to rig the election by brazenly violating the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as INEC’s Regulations, Guidelines and Manual issued for the election.
“By flagrantly violating these provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as INEC’s Regulations, Guidelines and Manual for the election, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is not only culpable of serious electoral offence but also betrayed, thrashed and threw overboard the trust, confidence and hope Nigerians reposed in him and the Electoral Commission to deliver a free, fair and credible election in the country.”
The party went further to” demand that the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) immediately commence investigations into the electoral violations and manipulations by INEC with the view to prosecuting Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and other officials of the Commission for electoral offences.
“In the same vein the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should open investigation into allegations that certain top officials of INEC were heavily compromised financially to manipulate the electoral process
In a swift reaction, the Professor Mahmood, while denying all allegations reminded the PDP “that making libelous allegations against the person of the INEC Chairman is actionable. The party should henceforth desist from the practice”.
However, Odinkalu who was the former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission in a tweet on Saturday, said it would be good the INEC Boss takes the step as it’s the best way he can find out if he has any character that could be maligned.
“I hope Mahmood Yakubu of @inecnigeria follows through on this threat & sues for defamation.
“It’ll be good to find out why or how he thinks he has character capable of being maligned or assassinated after how he has conducted himself.”
