2019: INEC, Presidency setting stage for crisis over Zakari’s new role – PPCO

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) has rejected the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, as Chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential Election Collation Centre Committee.

The PPCO said Zakari is a blood relation to the President (niece) and therefore must not be allowed to head the collation of results, in the same election her uncle, Buhari, is a candidate.

The Director Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Kola Ologbondiyan, told newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, that with the appointment, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu was setting stage for political crisis in the country.

The PPCO said if Prof. Yakubu wants a peaceful presidential election, he should swiftly reverse himself on Zakari’s appointment.

“The appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, who had been openly accused in various quarters as being the link person between INEC and the Buhari Presidency in their schemes to rig the election for President Buhari, constitutes a direct violence against the Presidential election and the PDP will not, in any way, whatsoever, accept it.

“This is the same Amina Zakari, who headed the ICT Department of INEC at the time that department was accused of manipulating the INEC voters register to accommodate fictitious, underage and alien voters, particularly, in remote areas where they plan to allocate and announce conjured votes for President Buhari and the APC.

“It will interest Nigerians to note that this is the same Amina Zakari that was alleged to have played some roles in the 2018 governorship election in Osun state, where the electoral processes were flagrantly abused.

“In appointing Mrs. Amina Zakari to head the collation of this Presidential election, Prof. Yakubu has confirmed that he has been compromised and that he has already succumbed to pressure by the Buhari Presidency and APC to open the way for the self-succession of President Buhari.

“The fact remains that there is no way Amina Zakari will not allocate votes to her blood relation, President Buhari, whom Nigerians have indicated clearly that they are not ready to return to office as President.

“With Amina Zakari at the head of results collation, there is no way votes cast by Nigerians will count,” the PPCO said.

“We, therefore, call on all Nigerians and particularly the National Peace Committee to note that with the appointment of Amina Zakari, as head the collation of presidential results, the INEC Chairman is setting the stage for a very huge political crisis, which is capable of derailing our democratic process.

“We also urge the United Nations and other global democratic institutions to take copious note of this noxious appointment by the INEC Chairman.

“In fact, the PPCO reiterates its position that for us to have a peaceful election, Mrs. Amina Zakari should not be seen anywhere near any of the 2019 election processes, not to talk of being involved in the collation of Presidential results,” the Campaign Organisation added.