Tinubu

Appoint credible man as next INEC chairman, Group tells Tinubu

Bet Bonanza Nigeria
Tinubu

As the tenure of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, ends in December, a pro-democracy group, the African Democratic Youth Congress (ADYC), has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint a successor with unquestionable integrity and capacity.

The Director-General of ADYC, Prince Muritala Haliru Dantoro, made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday during a press briefing on the state of the nation and the public presentation of the group.

He stressed that getting Nigeria’s electoral process right begins with appointing a credible figure to head INEC, noting that the president has to put the country’s interest above partisan considerations in making the appointment.

“If the president is going to choose the next INEC chairman, he should put Nigeria first. Someone who has integrity, who has the interest of Nigeria first, and not given to primordial or partisan interests,” Dantoro said.

The group also decried the rising trend of vote buying in Nigerian elections, describing it as undemocratic and criminal. It called for stricter penalties to curb the menace ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dantoro further charged Nigerian youths to step forward and take leadership roles in the nation’s political space, saying their active participation is crucial for strengthening democracy.

“We must understand that vote buying is not merely a transaction; it is a betrayal of our collective future. It is the tool that gives power to the wrong people – individuals who prioritise personal gain over public service and who will inevitably fail to bring desperately needed development to our communities.

Related News

“They buy their way in, and they will only serve themselves.”

Dantoro urged youths in the country to educate and give orientation to the grassroots on the grave danger of vote buying.

“Let’s go into every village, every street, every home, and enlighten our people about the power of their vote and the destructive consequences of selling it. Let us expose this electoral fraud that cuts across for what it is: a direct assault on the progress and development of our nation.”

Challenging the youths to rise and take positions of leadership, the National Coordinator of the group, Mrs. Ruqayya Lamido Dodo, said the current generation is tired of being spectators in a country that belongs to them.

“For decades, we have heard the same tired promises. We have been called the ‘leaders of tomorrow’, a phrase that has become little more than a polite way to sideline us from today’s critical decisions. Our generation is tired of being spectators in a nation that belongs to us. We are tired of seeing our potential wasted, our voices ignored, and our future held hostage by a political system that has failed us repeatedly.

“Today, we are here to declare that the African Democratic Youth Congress, the ADYC, is changing that narrative. We are not just a youth wing; we are the vanguard of a new movement. We are not waiting for tomorrow; we are building our nation today. We are the architects of a new Nigeria.”

Scroll to Top