Why Buhari won't withdraw INEC REC candidates accused of corruption and partisanship – Lai Mohammed
Despite the clamor for their withdrawal, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari would not withdraw some candidates for the position of INEC Resident Election Commissioners recently accused of corruption and partisanship.
Mr. Buhari had by July 26 sent 19 names to the Senate for confirmation as RECs.
Four of the presidential nominees have been singled out by Nigerians and a coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) as being partisan or having known histories of corruption.
The four nominees are Muhammad Bashir (Sokoto), Sylvia Agu (Enugu), Pauline Onyeka (Imo) and Queen-Elizabeth Agwu (Ebonyi).
While Mr. Bashir was nominated for running as the APC's gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 elections, Ms. Agu was linked to the Southeast Party's National Vice President.
>CSOs in their press conference said Ms Onyeka, a former ICT officer for INEC in Imo, has a history of “colluding with politicians to circumvent elections in the state”.< /p>
Ms Agwu, a former accountant general of Ebonyi State, was reportedly suspended for corruption in 2016.
PREMIUM TIMES, at the time of filing this report, was unable to independently verify all of the allegations made against the four REC nominees.
"Buhari Not Bothered"Reacting to the CSO allegations, Mr. Mohammed, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the clamor for the withdrawal of candidates was not a concern for Mr. Buhari.
He challenged civil groups and other Nigerians to take the matter to the Senate rather than subject the current administration to a media trial.
"As for candidates who are being challenged by social media warriors and some critics, I don't think it's the president's business to immediately dismiss candidates based on allegations that don't have not been proven.
"I think the idea is that these people will go and be confirmed in the National Assembly, the same questions that are raised in the public domain will be asked there.
President Muhammadu Buhari" I think this The Media Trial is quite disturbing because even when these people are cleared of any wrongdoing, no one comes back to apologize to them. So my advice is, yes, there will be allegations against anyone. That does not mean that this man is guilty. Let's wait for the process to be completed,” the minister told reporters at the State House.
He referred to recent APC losses in Edo, Osun, Anambra, among others, as evidence of Mr. Buhari's commitment to free and fair elections.
"Before we arrived, it was nearly impossible for a bet to be in power...
Despite the clamor for their withdrawal, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari would not withdraw some candidates for the position of INEC Resident Election Commissioners recently accused of corruption and partisanship.
Mr. Buhari had by July 26 sent 19 names to the Senate for confirmation as RECs.
Four of the presidential nominees have been singled out by Nigerians and a coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) as being partisan or having known histories of corruption.
The four nominees are Muhammad Bashir (Sokoto), Sylvia Agu (Enugu), Pauline Onyeka (Imo) and Queen-Elizabeth Agwu (Ebonyi).
While Mr. Bashir was nominated for running as the APC's gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 elections, Ms. Agu was linked to the Southeast Party's National Vice President.
>CSOs in their press conference said Ms Onyeka, a former ICT officer for INEC in Imo, has a history of “colluding with politicians to circumvent elections in the state”.< /p>
Ms Agwu, a former accountant general of Ebonyi State, was reportedly suspended for corruption in 2016.
PREMIUM TIMES, at the time of filing this report, was unable to independently verify all of the allegations made against the four REC nominees.
"Buhari Not Bothered"Reacting to the CSO allegations, Mr. Mohammed, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the clamor for the withdrawal of candidates was not a concern for Mr. Buhari.
He challenged civil groups and other Nigerians to take the matter to the Senate rather than subject the current administration to a media trial.
"As for candidates who are being challenged by social media warriors and some critics, I don't think it's the president's business to immediately dismiss candidates based on allegations that don't have not been proven.
"I think the idea is that these people will go and be confirmed in the National Assembly, the same questions that are raised in the public domain will be asked there.
President Muhammadu Buhari" I think this The Media Trial is quite disturbing because even when these people are cleared of any wrongdoing, no one comes back to apologize to them. So my advice is, yes, there will be allegations against anyone. That does not mean that this man is guilty. Let's wait for the process to be completed,” the minister told reporters at the State House.
He referred to recent APC losses in Edo, Osun, Anambra, among others, as evidence of Mr. Buhari's commitment to free and fair elections.
"Before we arrived, it was nearly impossible for a bet to be in power...
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