Amina Zakari & Buhari's Relationship: Controversy Continues

Amina Zakari & Buhari's Relationship: Controversy Continues

There is no let-up in the controversy triggered by the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, a National Commissioner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the Chairman of the Results Collation Committee.

Mrs. Zakari was named last Thursday alongside another National Commissioner, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ahmed Mu’azu, who is heading the Electoral Logistics Committee.

Since their announcement, the electoral body has been under attack

from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which alleged that Mrs. Zakari’s appointment will compromise the forthcoming elections.

It claimed that Mrs Zakari has a relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari and therefore could skew the process in the ruling party’s favour.

Mrs. Zakari reacted in an interview with the BBC Igbo to the raging controversy at the weekend, saying she is neither the President’s niece nor cousin.

Besides, the INEC had dismissed the furore over Mrs. Mu’azu’s appointment as unwarranted as she will only be setting up the Situation Room and the Centre for the National Collation for the forthcoming elections. The collation and announcement of the results is the Chairman’s duty.

Yesterday, the campaign organisations of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and that of the PDP clashed over Mrs. Zakari’s appointment.

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) advised the PDP to seek more creative ways of reviving its presidential campaign and stop demonising INEC and other national institutions.

Stoking another round of controversy, the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) rejected the designation of Mrs. Zakari as the chair of INEC’s Collation Centre for the forthcoming election.

But the BMO said that attacks by the opposition party and its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar on INEC’s top echelon were uncalled for and clear signs of a defeatist attitude.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the BMO wondered why the PDP resorted to bullying tactics because of the reality that the former vice president had no chance to upstage the incumbent.

But the PDP said name calling won't distrate them and has gone ahead to complain to the Peace Committee and the UN, wondering how a woman who has admitted that Buhari is her inlaw will be put in charge of an election that Buhari is contesting as an incumbent.