Governor Umaru Bago-led government of Niger State has dissolved the State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC).
In a statement issued on Monday in Minna, the state capital, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman, said the electoral officials were relieved from work immediately from May 29.
“Members of the commission are directed to hand over all property of the state government in their possession to the most senior Director with immediate effect,” it stated.
The Niger State House of Assembly had on Sept. 27, 2022, sacked the Chairman of NSIEC, Alhaji Baba Aminu, over alleged misconduct, OsunDailyNG recalls.
Meanwhile, barely three days ago, the Campaign Manager of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign in the February 25, 2023 election, Oseloka H. Obaze, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against tempering with IRev as it concerns the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
OsunDailyNG reports that this was made known in a press statement on Saturday signed by the campaign spokesperson, Diran Onifade.
According to Obaze, intelligence reaching the Campaign office shows that INEC is allegedly trying to yield to pressure to tinker with the results of some states, including the FCT, to enable the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to be in good standing.
He stated that their source revealed that “INEC is tempering with the machines used in the election to adjust FCT results to give the APC candidate the much-needed 25%, which he did not get as per the initial INEC declaration and for which he is being challenged at the Presidential election tribunal.
“It’s not clear how the Electoral Commission can brazenly carry out such bizarre action, but given the abracadabra they did to announce the APC Candidate winner by 4 a.m., there is nothing to be taken for granted.”
Obaze warned that INEC and the ruling APC might be taking the adherence to the rule of law and due process disposition of Nigerians in general and the Obidient Movement in particular for granted.
He cautioned that INEC and the APC would be courting catastrophe for “them to want to pour salt into an open wound inflicted on Nigeria’s electorate.”
The former United Nations diplomat reminded INEC that “what they are trying to do is tantamount to raising a dead horse and that whether reports were fake or real, the commission should know the level of public confidence in them has long been eroded.”
