Coalition wants ‘uncompromising’ Abia guber returning officer appointed INEC boss
By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has advocated the replacement of the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, with the uncompromising Returning Officer for the Abia State governorship election, and the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri FUTO, Professor Nnenna Oti.
COSEYL which made the call in a statement jointly signed by its President General, Goodluck Ibem; and Publicity Secretary, Okey Nwaoru, said that by rejecting financial inducement by politicians and insisting on accreditation by the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS machines, she had demonstrated that she could fix Nigeria’s wobbling electoral process if given the opportunity.
This is as the coalition also said it would honour the Returning Officer with ” Hero of Democracy” award for standing upright.
COSEYL said that Professor Otti’s uncompromising posture and insistence on the right things saved the situation in Abia State.
According to the coalition the Returning Officer had demonstrated that there are still honest Nigerians with proven integrity that can be trusted.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read :”We came to this conclusion because of her outstanding performance, resilience and determination to speak and defend the truth. She is a true example of what a true Christian should be.
“She is a role model for anyone who aspire to be great in life should emulate.
“Of a truth, she has proved beyond every reasonable doubt that we still have women of integrity left in our nation who will not do the wrong thing no matter the amount of money involved.
“Professor Nnenna Otti’s rejection of billions of naira offered to her by interested political party to upturn the will of the people who voted massively for Dr. Alex Otti as their Governor have entered into the annals of the nation as one of the wonders of the world.”
COSEYL advocated her appointment as the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, saying that a strong character like her is needed to fix the electoral umpire.
“If a personality like Professor Nnenna Otti was the National Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the nation would not have been in the mournful mood the way it is presently.
“If a woman of integrity and courage like Professor Otti was the National Chairman of INEC, the joy evaporating today in Abia State, would have been replicated in all the nooks and crannies of the nation.
“The appointment of the INEC National Chairman should not be done based on one’s tribe, religion or relationship with the president, but it should be based on integrity, competence and courage to stand for the truth. The INEC National Chairman should be a person who will stand for the truth and allow the will of the people to travail.
“If a personality like Professor Otti is appointed the INEC National Chairman, the State Resident Electoral Commissioners, REC, Returning Officers, Local Government EOs, and all INEC staffs will sit up and conduct themselves accordingly. They will not be involved in bribery and returning the highest bidder as elected which is against the popular will of the people.
“We salute her courage to defend the truth and will of Abians who voted for Dr. Alex Otti as their governor in the just concluded Governorship election in Abia State.
“History will be kind to her and all through her life, God in his infinite mercy will show her and her family compassion and love. ”
Recall that a governorship aspirant of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Chikwe Udensi, had gifted Oti with N100 million to encourage her for rejecting financial inducements during the governorship poll.
Similarly, another business mogul, Chief Steven Ukpabi, also gave her a brand new Prado jeep.
She had refused to admit an inflatable result from Obingwa Local Government Area, insisting on the accredited voters captured by BVAS.
During the collation of results at the INEC headquarters Umuahia, Professor Oti had intermittently declared that the ‘pastor and mother” in her would not allow her to compromise.
