Nigerian Lawyer Call For Arrest Of INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood For Violating Electoral Act

A Nigerian lawyer has called on security operatives to arrest the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu for violating the electoral act during the conduct of last Saturday’s presidential election.

Anambra based lawyer, Mr Christopher Enemuo said Yakubu violated the country’s electoral act by not adhering strictly to the use of the Bimodal Voters’ Accreditation System (BVAS), which also stipulates electronic transfer of results from polling units to the INEC server.

The lawyer in a press release he signed and made available to journalists in Awka, called for the immediate arrest of Yakubu.

He said: “It is an offence for the INEC chairman not to utilize a tested and trusted electronic gadgets, which in election guidelines are statutorily inherent, as stated in section 60 of the electoral act.

“Section 60(6) is evidence that a crime has been committed and there’s even a prescribed punishment for the offence.

“It was clear to Nigerians that the INEC chairman didn’t receive and announce results in the ‘manner’ prescribed by him through the electoral act.

“The chairman himself accepted having committed this offence when he made it clear before the world that transmissions stopped at a certain level and analogue switched over.

“The culpability of the INEC chairman in the illegality of results and presidential winner announcement is high.”

“Therefore I think that the INEC chairman has committed an electoral offence, and he needs to be arrested immediately,” Enemuo said.