By Gbenga Odogun
A Human Rights Activist and Lawyer, Chukwudi Ezeobika, has lambasted the Independent National Electoral Commission for not exercising due diligence in conducting a proper investigation into the information and certificates submitted to it by persons aspiring for public offices
The activist said the action or inaction of the electoral umpire has brought the country to ridicule before the international community whereby the certificate of her President will be subject to scrutiny, casting doubt on the integrity of the country’s leadership.
These were contained in a statement the lawyer signed and made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Monday.
Speaking against the backdrop of the Chicago State University certificate controversy, he noted that the electoral umpire has brought so much embarrassment to the entire country because it failed to do the needful.
This, he said is an “Issue to be worried about as it raises serious questions on the integrity, capacity and true independence of the Commission as currently constituted.”
He said that having received huge budgets (which amount to billions of Nigerian naira) both from the Nigerian government and international donors, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, should have done better to conduct a free, fair and credible election.
