By Sani Idris

Unified Nigerian Youth Forum (UNYF), says the calls by some groups and individuals to the Federal Government to remove and investigate the Independent National Electoral Comission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, was unpatriotic.

The President of the UNYF, Cmrd Abdulsalam Kazeem, said this on Friday while addressing a press conference at the Arewa House in Kaduna.

He said that the call to remove the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood, was unpatriotic because of the giant strides he recorded especially in the area of deploying cutting edge technology such as Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for credible, fair and transparent elections as well as voter mobilisation and enlightenment.

Kazeem noted that It was in public domain, the activities of certain group of persons purporting to be promoting the interest of the North and Nigeria, but however working for the enemies of the nation.

"This persons have continued to falsely accused and demand the resignation and sack of the INEC boss for carrying out his mandate.

"Those behind this charade are nothing but paid agents and goons of selfish and unpatriotic politicians seeking to manipulate next years general elections at all cost,"Kazeem said.

He added that the UNYF dispels trongly the rumours making rounds that the INEC Boss and his management team have morally compromised because of pressure from political parties to deactivate BVAS.

"For the record, note that BVAS and all the electoral reforms currently in place have been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC majority National Assembly.

"It is inconceivable to say that the APC or any political party is pressuring INEC. It is again not true that INEC and indeed Prof. Yakubu Mahmood have been pressured by anybody to deactivate or stop the use of the BVAS they introduced in fulfilment of the president's promise of delivering a transparent election,"he said.

Kazeem also noted that INEC was established by law and has a law guiding its activities, stating that no individual can decide to deactivate the use of BVAS when the law says it should be deployed.

"Those who make allegations like this are out to tarnish the reputation of INEC and that of its indefatigable Chairman.

"Nigerians must not fall to such antics especially now that the general elections is at hand, Politicians are jittery and will do or say anything to make noise.

"We also want to make clear, ladies and gentlemen that the allegations that INEC acted in a morally compromised way and denied some persons from the North West and North Central an extended period of voter registration as a result of the network shutdown for special military operations is false and misleading.

"The issue of voter registration by INEC is centrally controlled and it is impossible to open the portal for only a particular region.

"INEC at the behest of Nigerians and the National Assembly extended voter registration severally to enable all Nigerians to register and exercise thier franchise.

"Besides, the exercise is continuous and repetitive, so how come certain persons are grumbling when INEC opened the portal severally after the era of telecommunication shutdown.

"We are equally worried and concerned with the barefaced lie in some quarters that 15,000 foreigners were registered in September alone in the Ward of the current Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma.

"Nothing can be more misleading and dishonest than this claim especially now that INEC has recently sanitized the voter register with more than two million double registrants expunged.

"The allegations of ghost voters, registration of foreigners and preloaded fake accreditation as insinuated by mischief makers is unintelligent, shallow and unfounded.

"How did the foreigners gain entry into the country without detection by the Nigerian Immigration Services/ state security services? Does Imo State share border with any foreign country? How will those fake preloaded accredited electorates cast their votes or will they be giving ballots in polling stations without on-site accreditation? This is laughable and should be disregarded,"Kazeem said.

He urged Nigerians to commend President Buhariand and the APC controlled National Assembly for massively supporting reforms in the electoral body to ensure transparent, credible and fair elections.

He also called on Nigerians to commend and support INEC towards discharging their mandate in 2023 without paying attention to naysayers who are out to destabilize the country with concocted lies.

"We also call on all and sundry to mobilize and support INEC towards the conducts of 2023 General elections, which we believe will be the best in our nation history".

Kazeem also called on INEC to ensure timely arrival and delivery of all sensitive and non-sensitive materials to all nooks and crannies with commitmented/ loyal staff to the Nation against the normal tradition and ensuring they recruit capable adhoc staff.

"In the recent elections conducted by INEC under the leadership of professor Mohmud Yakubu, INEC has earned our nation global recognitions among the comqmittee of Nation; the era of shadow chasing is over, rather political parties should face reality and stop the blackmail against the electoral umpire,"he said.

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News Politics

Tinubu promises to withdraw police escorts from VIPs

BAYO WAHAB

October 21, 2022 4:20 PM

Tinubu says his government would focus on positioning the police force to better deliver its responsibilities.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says if elected next year, he would reform the Nigerian Police Force.

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Tinubu said he would free police officers from being security orderlies for Very Important Personalities.

He added that police officers on such duties would be replaced by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

This is contained in the presidential candidate’s 80-page policy document that highlights his eight-point agenda.

As stated in the manifesto, Tinubu’s agenda include national security, economy, agriculture, power, oil and gas, transportation and education.

APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

On police reform, Tinubu said his government would focus on positioning the Force to better deliver its responsibilities.

“We shall boost the public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force and other internal security agencies by increasing recruitment and providing high-tech, non-lethal equipment with corresponding manpower development schemes.

“Police reform will be focused on positioning the institution to better deliver on its primary duties of community policing and maintaining law and order through crime fighting and prevention.

“Police personnel will be freed from extraneous duties such as VIP security and guard duties. VIP Security and provision of security for government buildings, installations and other critical assets will be transferred to The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The NSCDC shall be evaluated and reformed to be better integrated with our internal security apparatus,” Tinubu said.

The former governor of Lagos also promised to continue the massive Social Investment Programmes of the Buhari administration.

To provide jobs for the youths, Tinubu promised huge investments in sports, entertainment and culture, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship.