- Safiu Kehinde
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called out the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, over alleged allocation of lands to some officials of the commission.
PDP, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, held that several news report had last week revealed the alleged land allocation to the officials by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
One of the officials, was reported to have admitted to the land allocation gifted to him by the FCT Minister.
“Last week, the news media was awash with stories of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, offering land and cash gifts to senior staff of the Commission.
“Later, another news item surfaced wherein Mr. Mohammed Kudu Haruna, who is the Supervising National Commissioner for the FCT, was quoted to have admitted the land gift.” Ememobong wrote.
The PDP factional spokesperson expressed concern over the development as he questioned the motive behind the gift.
Ememobong questioned why such gesture was never extended to officials from other critical development sectors like health, education, ans security.
“This news is very disturbing and worrisome and seems to connect the dots in the land-for-favour scenario currently being widely speculated as the strategy for institutional capture of the Minister.
“It is curious that these land gifts are given to officials in agencies critical to elections, whereas there are other officials in critical development sectors, like healthcare professionals, teachers, and even security officials-whose duties demand that they live in the capital city.
“We have not heard of any land allocation to these people, obviously because they are not directly related to the election process.” The statement read further.
The Turaki-led PDP faction charged Amupitan to inform the public of the true situation of the allegation against his top officials, warning that inaction from him will further erode INEC of public trust.
“We hereby demand that the National Chairman of INEC comes clean on these allegations against his top officials, and even himself, as he has also been alleged to be a beneficiary.
“These stories, at a time like this, deepen the erosion of public trust in an electoral umpire with a legacy of stained credibility.
“Therefore, the Commission should, as a matter of urgency and priority, inform the public of the true situation regarding this matter.” Ememobong wrote.