…INEC under Mamood Yakubu is a disappointment to Nigerians
The Accord Party has blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the lingering leadership crisis rocking the party.
National Deputy Chairman, Hon. Innocent Igbokwe who stated this in Awka in a press briefing shortly after meeting with party leaders, accused the electoral body of insisting on dealing with what he tagged “expired leadership.”
He said the same INEC that wrote the party in 2015, informing her of the expiration of its leadership, following its convention held in 2010, was still dealing with the same leadership, insinuating that “water had passed under the bridge.”
He regretted that the development was instrumental to few candidates vying for one position or another under the platform of the party in the forthcoming general elections.
He said, “INEC under Mamood Yakubu is a disappointment to Nigerians, and nation’s democracy. Yakubu is causing Nigeria’s democracy more harm than good. He’s biased.
“In 2015, INEC wrote to Accord Party, telling her that the leadership tenure had expired since 2014 because the convention held in 2010. For its failure to conduct a Congress as at when due, hence its NEC has expired.
“Suddenly, we discovered that INEC started dealing with Accord party again, which simply implies forcing down an expired drug into the throat of the members. Can you do anything to revive an expired drug?
“For INEC to start recognizing the expired leadership, some waters must have passed under the bridge. It’s only natural and rational that whoever contests election under the expired platform can’t survive unless no one is ready to petition.
“INEC is purely responsible for the crisis in various political parties. The constitution of various parties are uniform with each leadership tenure expiring after eight years of four consecutive years.
“For someone to be in authority since 2007 to 2023, making it 18years in office is an aberration. Assuming you contested election with someone in Accord and he happens to win you, will you go and sleep? Infact, I’ll follow that opponent to court to testify in his favor.
“This is the simple reason why we have few candidates contesting election under the party. In Anambra for example, it’s only a woman who didn’t pay for normination fee that’s contesting. In Imo, only one Senate, none in Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia.
“Every knowledgeable aspirant will refuse to fly with the party’s flag.
“When you ask why Peter Obi, Kwankwaso and their likes didn’t contest under Accord party, they’re sensible to know that if they fly with the party under the same leadership, by the time they win,they’ll be disqualified because the structure they’re standing on is faulty.”
Earlier, Southeast National Vice Chairman, Engr. Ben Chigbo said the meeting was to inaugurate the leaders and inform them of emergence of new Accord Party which would soon come to limelight.
He attributed the leadership crisis in the party to sheer greed, but said the matter had been resolved following court ruling.
