Amina Zakari As APC’s Gambit In 2019 Elections

It is no doubt normal, and, in fact, political, for politicians and political parties to seek ways of having advantage over their opponents. But, for the sake of decency and true democracy, for sanity to prevail, and for the general good of society, whatever advantage being sought need to not only be in accordance with relevant laws, but should also obey the 4-Way Test of the things we do, say, or think.
Specifically, the 4-Way Test requires of every human being to answer four key questions as a guide to whatever we do, think, or say at any given point in our interactions with other people. The questions are: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendship? And, will it be beneficial to all concerned?
It is in this context that, last Thursday’s appointment of Hajia Amina Zakari as the head, collation of election results for the 2019 Presidential election, and subsequent reactions against it, has called for the need to critically scrutinise the facts therein, in accordance with the spirit of attaining that level of democracy Nigeria deserves, especially as often propagated by the ruling party, the All Progressives Alliance (APC), and also act in accordance with the 4-Way Test.
Amidst calls from various quarters, most of which were from the opposition, for Zakari’s removal from the position, a few, most of whom are key members of the ruling party, dismissed the calls as an acceptance of defeat by the opposition, which they claim is merely looking for strands to hold onto as the February date for the 2019 elections draws closer.
The same few buttress their stand by hinting that after all, the said while there may not be any doubt as to the integrity of Amina Zakari, especially professionally, her relationship with President Buhari, as stated earlier, makes her partisan, and hence amounts to making her a person of unquestionable integrity in this wise. was first appointed as a Commissioner into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan, hence placing her as the head of collation was not out of place.
What these few did not seem to consider, for whatever reason, is the fact that President Jonathan’s appointment of Amina Zakari as a Commissioner in INEC at a time he knew that Mohammadu Buhari, a co-contender  for the Presidency, has close marital ties with her, only proves how democratic President Jonathan is.
The question is can such act of democracy by President Jonathan be compared to her appointment by President Buhari as head of collation of results for the Presidential election, or any other election for that matter, be compared, especially considering that virtually the entire country had rejected her in 2015 when President Buhari had first appointed her Acting Chairman of INEC? This brings to the fore the crux of the matter.
According to Premium Times, as published in its January 6, 2019 edition, Amina Zakari is the daughter of the late Emir of Kazaure, Husseini Adamu, who got married to Buhari’s elder sister, and Buhari was said to have spent part of his childhood in the palace where his sister was married. Ever since, that close relationship has been at its best.
In fact, it was also reported that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s appointment of Zakari in 2011 as INEC Commissioner was in response to Buhari’s appeal for him to have a representative in INEC as he prepared for his election to the most prestigious office in the country, which finally came to fruition in 2015.
Meanwhile, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), legitimately empowers the Senate, to confirm the nominees of the Executive President to INEC in Section 154 (1) and to remove in Section 157 (1). Relatedly, take note that Section 14 (2a) and (3b) of Third Schedule Part 1 strongly emphasises that: “a member of the commission shall – be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.”
From the foregoing, since Nigerians are not even aware that Senate had confirmed her appointment in the first place, the question of how she got such sensitive appointment with about a month to the 2019 elections is another question requiring answer.
But while there may not be any doubt as to the integrity of Amina Zakari, especially professionally, her relationship with President Buhari, as stated earlier, makes her partisan, and hence, amounts to making her a person of unquestionable integrity in this wise.
The Daily Post of January 7, 2019 summed up the general feeling about Zakari thus: “Amina Zakari has obviously become a stumbling block in INEC since July 2015, when her appointment as the acting Chairman of INEC by President Muhammadu Buhari met stiff resistance and condemnation across the country over conflict of interest arising from her family affinity with the President”.
However, when the electoral umpire harkened to widespread calls for either her resignation or removal by redeploying her from being the head of electoral operations and logistics to head the Health and Welfare Committee on 11th October, 2018, it was highly welcomed.
Many viewed it as a direct response to several complaints against her, just as commendations poured in for the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, as many political parties, political actors and observers also saw it as a panacea towards credible elections.
For the INEC, as electoral umpire, to therefore choose to ignore these underpinnings and daringly reappoint her to a position as sensitive as head of collation of election results at this time, it can only reasonably point to one thing: that the ruling party considers who collates results very important, hence, only a trustworthy person can occupy that position, which ordinarily is the job of the INEC Chairman. Presently, judging by events, there is no better person than Zakari.
Moreso, the partisanship of Amina Zakari, especially her loyalty to President Buhari has over the years never been in doubt.
The Daily Post of January 7 puts it thus: “The partisanship of Amina Zakari in support of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is so obvious and her recent interview in which she said Buhari is her leader shows that her loyalty is not to Nigeria but to President Muhammadu Buhari, her uncle who desperately seeks a second term.
“She has been repeatedly accused of influencing the outcome of several elections in favour of the APC, using her strategic position as the Director of Operations”.
Again, Zakari’s appointment recently is widely believed to be the last joker towards ensuring that incumbent President Buhari is returned, no matter what. It is also seen to be part of why the President refused to assent to the amended Electoral Act, which would have greatly checked large scale electoral fraud by limiting the ability of the Presidency to freely manipulate the electoral process.
A former presidential aspirant of the APC, who recently decamped to the PDP, Chief Charles Udeogaranya may have captured the unfolding drama as played out by INEC in its proper context in the following terms:
 “In the worst act of election result falsification, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has taken first step towards announcing fake and fictitious 2019 election results by the appointment of President Buhari’s niece, Amina Zakari, as Head of INEC’s Elections Results Collation Centre”.

Soibi Max-Alalibo