Sack Jigawa REC, CSOs petition Buhari, INEC

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of the Society Watch and National Peace Campaign has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari demanding the immediate removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Jigawa State, Prof Muhammad Lawal Bashar, over partisanship.

The petition, dated November 16, 2022, was copied to the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, the Chairman of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), the Director of DSS and the Jigawa REC.

Desmond Ebireri, National Coordinator of Society Watch, and Valentine Opaluwa of National Peace Campaign signed the petition on behalf of the coalition.

Part of the petition reads: “Specifically, Prof Muhammad Lawal had contested Sokoto State governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was Special Adviser to the then Sokoto State Governor, Senator Magatakarda Wammako, in 2019. 

“More so, other opposition political parties are currently casting doubt as to whether there would be free, fair and credible elections. This petition is to draw your attention to the absurdities for quick intervention by the immediate sack of the REC.”