The Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development (AIED) has demanded immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over appointment of Amina Zakari, President Buhari’s niece, as chief Collation Officer of the 32019 Presidential elelction.

AIED in a press statement on Friday signed by the its Director of Publicity, Comrade O’Seun John, which was sent to National Daily, condemned the appointment of the niece of President Buhari, Amina Zakari, who was assigned a pivotal role in the 2019 presidential election in which her uncle is a major candidate.

AIED described the appointment as the “final straw” in what has already been a partisan relationship between the commission and the government in power.

“What we have witnessed today in the appointment of Amina Zakari by Mahmood Yakubu is the final straw in what has been a partisan-laden commission. INEC no longer exist, instead it has become another arm of the Presidency and the ruling party with the Chairman of the commission taking orders from the office of the Chief of Staff.

“The neutrality and unbiased standing of INEC has been eroded with the appointment of a blood relation of a major contender into a pivotal role for the presidential election.

“But this is not the only crime of the Mahmood Yakubu-led tenure, rather, it is one of the many steps toward rechristening the commission into a ‘Buhari Electoral Commission’.

“We all witnessed the abysmal defense of constructive criticism by the media aide of the Chairman written in tenses that suggest it was crafted by Lai Mohammed and only passed to INEC for signature.

“We also witnessed how INEC, in spite of the international and nationwide condemnation of the electoral fraud disguised as election in Osun gubernatorial election, defended the gigantic antidemocratic process and allowed same to stand.

“It is with these evidences that we strongly believe that an INEC under the leadership of Mahmood Yakubu cannot conduct a free, fair and transparent election and, thereby, demand that he tenders his resignation letter. Doing otherwise will only be interpreted that the presidential election had been determined before it commences.

“If Yakubu decides to be unpatriotic and delay his resignation, it is only manly of him to, then, issue a certificate of return to President Buhari and forego the plan of wasting huge resources and precious time in conducting any election, AIED declared.