A Chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has praised the Independent National Electoral Commission over its position at the Supreme Court in the appeal filed by the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, against the judgement of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja.
Oguntoyinbo in a statement on Saturday, said what INEC stated at the Supreme Court has affirmed the victory of Abba Yusuf as the duly elected governor of Kano State.
According to him, INEC through this action has acted as an unbiased umpire, noting that the future of elections in the country is secured if INEC can maintain its true position in the face of intimidation and harassment, as it did at the Supreme Court.
INEC had defended its conduct of the Kano State governorship election at the Supreme Court, noting that the disputed 165,616 ballot papers were authentic and originated from the commission, and not elsewhere.
The electoral body further explained that Yusuf’s membership of the NNPP was an internal affair of political parties and could not be determined by the court.
Reacting to the development, the 2023 Governorship candidate of the NNPP in Ogun State, said, “I want to commend INEC for standing with the truth. With this position, I am convinced that Professor Mahmood Yakubu–led INEC is independent and I commend its forthrightness.
“INEC has backed our position that the NNPP won the elections including the Governorship election in Kano fairly. We are the leading party in Kano and this has shown in the number of the state Assembly members and the National Assembly members we have in the state.
“INEC deserves commendation from all well-meaning Nigerians concerning the way it has come out openly to defend the truth.”