CUPP threatens peace accord over INEC’s appointment to Zakari

Political parties under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), have threatened the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should it refuse to remove Amina Zakari as head collection centre for 2019 elections.

Controversies have continued to trail INEC appointment of Mrs. Zakari, said to be a blood relation to President Muhammadu Buhari as the chairman of its Ad hoc Committee on National Collation Centre.

CUPP in its reaction through its first national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, said that opposition parties in it’s fold among other drastic actions, may pull out of the Peace Accord initiated by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee should Zakari’s appointment not be reversed.

“The desperation of the President must be reined in now before it is too late. We categorically reject this appointment and will consider very drastic measures including pulling out of the peace accord which does not repose a commensurate responsibility of the President to allow INEC conduct credible, free and fair elections,” he said.

It was also learnt that the Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC), a body officially recognised by INEC to speak on behalf of all political parties in the country on Friday also called on INEC to, without wasting time, reverse the appointment of Zakari on the appointment.

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The President of IPAC, Mr. Peter Ameh, was reported to have made the call to INEC for the sake of transparency and fairness.

This is coming as the Presidency has denied that there was no blood link between Buhari and Zakari.

“President Buhari and Commissioner Amina Zakari don’t share a family relationship. An inter-marriage occurred in their extended families; so the imputation of blood relationship between the President and the electoral commissioner is a simple lie,” the Presidency said.

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