The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, yesterday berated the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, for calling for the resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
Describing the call as unfair and unacceptable, Shittu queried: “When Oshiomhole supervised horrible primaries elections of the party, who called for his resignation?”.
The minister, who addressed reporters at his Ibadan residence on the rescheduling of the general elections, urged Nigerians to give the INEC chairman a benefit of doubt.
According to him, if the INEC chairman resigns, the elections may need to be postponed for the new incoming chairman to prepare for fresh elections.
He said:”I will not support such call for resignation of the INEC chairman. To err is human. We have not seen any political motivation as to what has happened in INEC. If Oshiomolhe calls for resignation of the INEC chairman, he should also be preparing to resign as chairman. Did anybody ask him to resign for the horrible management of primary elections under his watch?
“This is the first election that Prof. Yakubu will be conducting, so we need to give him the benefit of doubt and I will advise that all the political parties should be vigilant. If you bring in another chairman, when does such person begin to learn the process? Or will you on the basis of that call for another rescheduling of the elections? certainly, it is unacceptable for anyone to ask for resignation of INEC chairman.”
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