Arewa Group Responds To Obasanjo’s Call For Yakubu’s Removal, Citing Past Admission On Election Integrity

Arewa Group Responds To Obasanjo’s Call For Yakubu’s Removal, Citing Past Admission On Election IntegrityAnorthern group, the Arewa Think Tank (ATT), has strongly criticized former President Olusegun Obasanjo for calling for the removal of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In a statement released on Monday, ATT expressed disapproval of Obasanjo’s remarks, accusing the former president of failing to lay a solid foundation for credible elections during his time in office from 1999 to 2007.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Obasanjo made the call for Yakubu’s removal while speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in Connecticut, USA. In response, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, Convener of the ATT, condemned Obasanjo’s position, pointing out that the former president had once admitted during his tenure that even a “saint” would struggle to conduct credible elections in Nigeria.

Yakubu argued, “It is unpatriotic for Obasanjo, who acknowledged the challenges of conducting free and fair elections during his own time, to now accuse the government of failing to do so.” He further emphasized that Obasanjo’s record on electoral integrity is questionable, with a history of alleged election manipulation to favor his preferred candidates. Yakubu reminded that the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua himself acknowledged the 2007 election, which brought him to power, was flawed and marred by irregularities.

In light of these admissions, ATT expressed skepticism about taking Obasanjo’s criticisms of the current government and INEC seriously, accusing him of hypocrisy. “For someone who presided over flawed elections in the past to now point fingers at others is disingenuous,” Yakubu stated. “If Obasanjo truly cares about electoral integrity, he should reflect on his own actions and work toward ensuring fair elections for all Nigerians.”

The group also recalled that Obasanjo’s presidency was marked by widespread corruption and electoral malpractice. They noted that under his administration, the very foundations of Nigeria’s electoral system were laid, but they were poorly established, resulting in elections marred by irregularities. “Results were announced while voters were still standing in line, and electoral processes were fraught with inefficiencies and opportunities for manipulation,” ATT said.

Furthermore, ATT rejected Obasanjo’s criticism of the 2023 elections as a “travesty,” arguing that it was exaggerated and aimed at inciting public unrest. They also pointed out that his criticism of INEC’s use of technology, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV), was misplaced, given that his own tenure relied on outdated and inefficient manual processes.

While criticizing Obasanjo’s stance, ATT called on the current administration, under President Bola Tinubu, to focus on establishing a transparent and accountable electoral system. “We believe that the government should prioritize the interests of the people and build an electoral system that Nigerians can trust, instead of being distracted by the criticisms of past leaders who have failed to take responsibility for their own shortcomings,” the statement concluded.

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