PDP says INEC Collation officer is Buhari's niece

The People's Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization through its director on Media & Publicity Kola Ologbondiyan, condemns the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari believed to be Buhari's niece, as the Chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee.

The PDP reacts shortly after the appointment.

"Zakari, reportedly the niece of President Buhari, is given the appointment by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu during an inauguration held in Abuja on Thursday, January 3, 2019.

"Today, we have been informed that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, apparently in furtherance of the plots to rig the Presidential election, has appointed Mrs. Amina Zakari, a blood relation (niece) of the APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee.

"The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) outrightly, vehemently and unequivocally rejects, in its entirety, the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, President Buhari’s blood relation, as the head of the collation of results, in the same election in which his uncle, President Buhari, as a candidate, has displayed a huge desperation to win.

"The appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, who had been openly accused in various quarters as being the link person between INEC and the Buhari Presidency in their schemes to rig the election for President Buhari, constitutes a direct violence against the Presidential election and the PDP will not, in any way, whatsoever, accept it."

The PDP has charged the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu to withdraw the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as a collation officer to ensure a free and fair election. - Ventures Africa Pulse Nigeria

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Kola Ologbondiyan in his statement asks INEC to see to a free and fair election because the attention of the world will be on Nigeria when the General Elections commences in February.

He thinks having a person related to a contestant can hinder this. As a result, he calls for the reversal of Zakari's appointment.

Buhari's niece is accused of bringing about challenges in the 2018 gubernatorial polls in Osun State.

"We, therefore, call on all Nigerians and particularly the National Peace Committee to note that with the appointment of Amina Zakari, as head the collation of Presidential results, the INEC Chairman is setting the stage for a very huge political crisis, which is capable of derailing our democratic process.

"We also urge the United Nations and other global democratic institutions to take copious note of this noxious appointment by the INEC Chairman.

"If the INEC Chairman wants a peaceful Presidential election, he should, with the speed of light, reverse himself on this appointment.

"In fact, the PPCO reiterates its position that for us to have a peaceful election, Mrs. Amina Zakari should not be seen anywhere near any of the 2019 election processes, not to talk of being involved in the collation of Presidential results

"The PDP remains committed to a peaceful and credible process, but we will never, in any way, allow anybody to use any means, under any guise whatsoever, to rig us out in this election.

"Not after it is clear that Nigerians have attained a consensus to rally behind our Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as their next President.

"All we ask for is a free, fair, credible and transparent electoral process in which the votes of Nigerians will not only count but will be seen to have counted," the statement by the PDP spokesperson reads.