INEC Staff Demand Yakubu’s Removal, Threaten Mass Protest
Staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have issued an ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to initiate the removal of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the commission over alleged abuse of office, corruption, and tyrannical leadership.
This comes as President Tinubu flagged off the construction of INEC’s new annex office on Zambezi Crescent, Abuja, on Tuesday.
In an open letter made available to THE WHISTLER by staff members under “Concerned Staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Nationwide,” the workers accused Yakubu of running the commission as a “one-man show” and threatened mass protests if their demands are not met within seven days.
“Again, the INEC staff is requesting and calling the attention of Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to (come to) their rescue. We are seeking the removal of Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman for abuse of office, oppressive actions, and to probe misappropriation of funds and corrupt practices,” the letter stated.
Yakubu assumed the role on November 9, 2015. He became the first INEC chairman to be sworn in for second term after former President Muhammadu Buhari renewed his appointment in 2020.
Section 157 of the constitution stipulates that the president can only remove the INEC chairman with the support of two-thirds of the Senate.
The staff alleged that their repeated appeals to the presidency have been ignored, stating: “The staff of INEC have, on several occasions, demanded the sack and removal of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as the chairman of the commission, but unfortunately, it has continuously been given deaf ears.”
The workers accused Yakubu of financial impropriety, saying allowances meant for staff are being withheld while the chairman and commissioners benefit.
“Several allowances approved by the federal government are still owed to staff, and these allowances are basically applicable and effective to him and the commissioners while all other staff are excluded,” they alleged in the open letter addressed to President Tinubu.
The staff members called for intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC): “There is also serious financial misappropriation by the Chairman, and we urge the appropriate and relevant authorities such as EFCC and ICPC to be invited to check and scrutinize INEC’s financial record for confirmation of corrupt practices.”
The workers further accused Yakubu of autocratic leadership style, alleging that he operates without consultation or input from other commission members. Prof Yakubu Mahmood, in his high handedness, has turned the Commission into a one-man show. He singlehandedly runs the commission by himself, with himself and for himself. No one in the commission is capable of advising him as he takes none else’s ideas or advice. Not even the commissioners can approach him on matters, talk more of the Directors who cannot come close, due to his tyrannical, bullying, oppressive actions, vindictive policies and illiberal way of leadership that he has enforced. He takes critical decisions alone without the input from other members, thereby seeing himself as a god. While these are having severe consequences on the staff members and the entire commission,” the letter stated.
They further alleged workplace abuse, claiming: “The staff means nothing to him, as he sees staff as slaves with no rights to complain, which he has always shown both in his words, body language and actions. Verbal insults, belittling comments, and abuses are lashed on staff at will, with instances where in meetings, he had called staffs ‘thieves’.”
Yakubu was further accused of preventing staff members from forming associations.
“Some very courageous staff who tried to organize an association some years ago were harassed, bullied, hunted, victimized, tormented, oppressed and tortured with transfer out of the INEC headquarters Abuja to various state offices by the chairman, till date, so as not to achieve the formation of any form of staff organization.
“It is therefore important at this point that this letter is given the due attention required, so that the degree and level of frustration amongst staff, despite our being responsible law law-abiding citizens, we are humans. Else the frustration outweighs and over clouds our sense of responsibility and reasoning to nettle and rub someone up the wrong way and the INEC Staff nationwide would then want to go on mass protest over neglect of staff welfare matters occasioned by the abuse of office by Prof. Yakubu Mahmood.
“Within the next 7 days of this publication, a letter will be sent requesting and appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to kindly use his good office to grant the staff an express permission (Executive Fiat) to form at least just an indigenous association ‘INEC Staff Forum’ (ISF), where staff can reason together, share concerns that can be communicated to the management,” said while passing a vote of no confidence on Yakubu’s leadership.
“In conclusion, we, the entire staff of INEC nationwide, are disappointed over the leadership of Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, which is taking a toll on the lives of the hard-working staff, and we hereby pass a ‘vote of no confidence’ on him. ‘WE WANT HIM TO GO NOW SINCE STAFF WELFARE MATTERS IS CRITICAL TO ANY CREDIBLE ELECTION’ We hereby call on the President and the citizens of our dear country Nigeria to come to our aid and save INEC staff.”
Meanwhile, Yakubu delivered a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony of INEC’s new annex building where he highlighted the commission’s growth and infrastructure development for decades.
Speaking at the event attended by President Tinubu, Yakubu noted that the commission’s headquarters, commissioned in December 1997 for 500 staff, now houses 1,048 staff members, necessitating the new facility.
“For a long time, the Commission has been grappling with inadequate office accommodation. Our present national headquarters is severely congested,” Yakubu said, describing the new building project as a “special occasion” after “almost ten years of persistent effort.”
Mr. Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, did not respond to several calls put across to his phone for comment.
Yakubu’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, also failed to respond to our calls.
INEC Staff Demand Yakubu’s Removal, Threaten Mass Protest is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
