CYRIL MBAH, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must come clean on allegations of land and cash gifts given to its senior staff by Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The party said that it finds the news about the gifts very disturbing and worrisome, suggesting a possible institutional capture of the INEC by the minister.
National Publicity Secretary of Turaki-led PDP, Comrade Ini Ememobong, on Tuesday in a statement stated that the allegations involved Alhaji Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Supervising National Commissioner for the FCT, who admitted to receiving a land gift from the FCT minister before the recently concluded area council elections.
The PDP questioned why land gifts were given to officials in agencies critical to elections in a manner that appeared suspicious, while requests for land by other civil servants in development sectors were overlooked or totally ignored.
The party said it suspected that the land gifts were part of an official strategy to influence the election process and demanded that INEC’s National Chairman, Prof Joash Omipitan should clarify the allegations, including whether he himself was a beneficiary.
The PDP emphasised that “the timing of the allegations deepens public distrust in INEC, an electoral umpire with a legacy of stained credibility.”
It urged the Commission to prioritise transparency and inform the public of the true situation, pointing out that the allegations have further eroded public trust in the agency.
“INEC is reminded to strive to be above board by ensuring transparency and impartiality in its words and actions. The PDP awaits INEC’s response to the negative allegations making the rounds.
“The allegations have raised concerns about the integrity of the election process. The PDP’s demand for clarity aims to restore public trust in INEC.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong Essien, who signed the statement, emphasised the need for INEC to come clean, saying the party’s demand was a call for accountability.
INEC’s response will be crucial in determining its credibility, the statement said, adding that the Commission must address the allegations and demonstrate its commitment to transparency.
The PDP’s statement highlights the importance of impartiality in the election process, and the party’s demand for clarity is a step towards ensuring fair play.
The outcome of this situation will impact public perception of INEC’s credibility, and the Commission must act swiftly to address the allegations and restore public trust it its neutrality.
The statement wondered why the Commission has not reacted to the allegations since last week when the news media became awash with stories of the “Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, offering land and cash gifts to senior staff of the Commission. Later, another news item surfaced wherein Mohammed Kudu Haruna, who is the Supervising National Commissioner for the FCT, was quoted to have admitted to receiving the land gift.
“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 by 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.
“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,” the statement concluded.
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