Rotimi Amaechi, a former Rivers State Governor, has cast doubt on the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), asserting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not have emerged victorious in the 2015 general elections if the incumbent chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had been in charge at the time.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News’ Prime Time, Amaechi gave credit to former Chairman of Nigeria’s electoral body, Attahiru Jega, for the party’s successful registration and eventual triumph at the polls.
“The current chairman of INEC, if he was the chairman of INEC in 2015, we would not have won. May God bless Jega. The current chairman of INEC can only be compared to Iwu,” Amaechi said, drawing a controversial parallel to Maurice Iwu, a former INEC chief widely criticised for overseeing flawed elections.
According to him, the integrity and openness displayed by Jega during APC’s formative years were instrumental in shaping the political landscape that led to the party’s rise.
He claimed Jega allowed the process to unfold fairly, unlike what he suggests is the current reality under Yakubu.
“When we were to register APC, Jega opened the door, and we complied with the registration requirements. He got APC registered. The current man, if you comply with all these, he would not register you. Already, INEC is biased,” Amaechi added.
Amaechi’s remarks come amid growing scepticism over the neutrality of the electoral commission, especially following last year’s disputed general elections that saw Tinubu declared winner in an exercise many observers described as lacking transparency.
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