“The APC Would Not Have Won in 2015 Under Current INEC Chairman” — Rotimi Amaechi

Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has criticized the current chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, claiming that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would neither have been registered nor won the 2015 general elections if Yakubu had been in charge at that time.

Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday night, Amaechi commended the former INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, for conducting a transparent electoral process that facilitated APC’s registration and victory in 2015. He stated that the clear ground rules under Jega’s leadership were crucial, adding that the current INEC chairman’s approach resembles that of his predecessor, Maurice Iwu, who was widely criticized.

Amaechi explained that during APC’s registration, Jega allowed the process to proceed smoothly once the party met all requirements, whereas he believes Yakubu would not have allowed the party’s registration under similar circumstances. He also accused INEC under Yakubu of showing bias in recent elections, expressing concern about the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

He contrasted the transparency of past elections, such as those conducted under the Option A4 system, with the current state of affairs, describing the electoral institution as being captured and used as a tool for political manipulation. According to Amaechi, this situation raises doubts about whether the country is making progress or regressing in its democratic journey.