Poll Shift: Buhari’s minister lashes out at APC chairman

Communications Minister Adebayo Shittu has descended on Adams Oshiomhole for calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to hammer the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for cancelling the Feb 16 polls, a minister has said.

Adebayo Shittu, who was disqualified by the Oshiomhole National Working Committee during the state guber primary, stated this at his home in Ibadan on Monday while addressing journalists.

The minister described Oshiomhole as terrible electoral umpore himself, who has no right to call out INEC chair Yakubu Mahmood.

He said the removal of Mr Yakubu due to INEC’s postponement of the general elections may cause more havoc to the commission.

Mr Yakubu has been criticised by many Nigerians including Mr Oshiomhole with some calling for his resignation.

He said even if the INEC chairman leaves office now, the election may need to be postponed for the incoming chairman to prepare for fresh elections that would be credible, free and fair.

“When Oshiomhole supervised that party primaries elections, which can be described as most horrible and corrupt in the history of the party, who called for his resignation?,” he told newsmen.

“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 Oshiomhole calls for resignation of the INEC chairman, he should also be preparing to resign as chairman of APC for conducting primaries marred by irregularities, and even accused of corruption in its conduct. Did anybody ask him to resign for the horrible management of primary elections under his watch?”

In defending Mr Yakubu, Mr Shittu argued that this was the first general election to be supervised by the lecturer.

“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.”