Sanitise INEC, CPC Tells Jega

The Congress for Positive Change (CPC) has called on the chairman of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, to sanitise and rid the commission of dishonest personnel whose activities could derail the forthcoming April elections.

Abia State Governorship candidate of CPC ,  Chief Ako Atuloma,  who made the call in Umuahia while addressing newsmen recently, also urged the Judiciary to refrain from granting injunctions capable of stalling the planned April polls.

Atuloma said while INEC should be thorough in the handling of affairs concerning political parties in order not to create the impression that it was not prepared to conduct credible polls this year, the Judiciary should be more nationalistic and not pander to the selfish interest of those bent on scuttling the elections.

The CPC Governorship candidate made the call against the backdrop of the missing Abia CPC list of candidates, which was erroneously sent to Kebbi State.

When INEC in Abia released the list of candidates for the April polls in the state, that of CPC was conspicuously missing.

According to Atuloma , shocked by the development,  the party in the state made a frantic effort to ascertain where things went wrong. After a check at the CPC national headquarters revealed nothing, the party’s big wigs went to INEC where it was discovered that the Abia nomination list was sent to Kebbi State.

However, the list is now on display at INEC office in Umuahia, with few names of nominated candidates still missing.

Atuloma, a finance expert, said: “it is shocking that an organisation that has promised this country of free and fair elections can muddle up parties’ nomination forms.

“This has created doubts in the minds of people about the seriousness of INEC’s  ability to actually manage this elections. I begin to wonder why a form that was packaged to be sent to Abia, found its way to Kebbi. It is unfortunate that this is happening.”

“I wish to use this opportunity to call on INEC to live up to the expectations of Nigerians. Prof Jega must look through the rank and file of INEC to ensure that some people within the system still poised to do dirty jobs and frustrate all his good efforts were shown the way out.

“Jega should look inwards and ensure that he sanitises INEC, for the same people that have been causing ripples in the system are still there. This is why things are not going straight. What happened is embarrassing,” Atuloma said.

While assuring his supporters that he was still in the Abia Governorship race, he attributed the development to opponents who were afraid of the growing popularity of the party in Abia.

He also urged the Judiciary not to allow itself to be used to derail the election process by exercising restraint in granting exparter orders.

“I call on the Judiciary to be mindful of this nation called Nigeria and to be nationalistic in their approach to issues like this,” he said.