INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu under pressure to resign

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, has demanded that Professor Mahmood Yakubu resign from his position as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately.

Okorie claims that the INEC Chairman has been found guilty of contempt of court for refusing to comply with a court order to recognize Chief Edozie Njoku as the current National Chairman of APGA. The leadership dispute within APGA reached the Supreme Court, which declared Chief Edozie Njoku as the authentic National Chairman.

Despite this ruling, INEC has reportedly failed to adhere to the court order.

“Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in a sane country, would not be the presiding officer of the highest democratic institution in the land, having been found guilty of contempt of court since November last year,” Okorie stated to reporters at the Court of Appeal premises, where he and other senior members of the party submitted a petition over the weekend.

“The fact that the Court of Appeal arrested the sentencing does not negate the reality that he was already found guilty. Arresting the sentencing is another shocker because, once a judgment has been delivered and is awaiting sentencing, the higher court is supposed to allow the lower court to complete its process.

“The constitution is clear on this matter. I am calling on Mahmood to vacate that office. He is an embarrassment to this country. It is scandalous for a contemnor to remain as the Chairman of the highest democratic institution in Nigeria,” he added.