There have been heated debates regarding the recent plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to engage the Parks Management Committee in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, to distribute election materials and convey personnel in the state.

The controversy is due to obvious reasons – the committee is led by Musiliu Akinsanya, popular as MC Oluomo, who is a member of the presidential campaign council of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Olusegun Abgaje, while trying to douse fears, said working with MC Oluomo would not compromise the election.

The electoral umpire needs to understand that if it goes ahead with this decision, then it is comprising its position.

Section 27 of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that if INEC decides to appoint officers to take part in the conduct of an election, whoever it appoints must not be a member of any political party and must not have openly proclaimed support for any political candidate.

Agbaje is reported to have said INEC has no option but to engage the parks committee to distribute election materials and convey election personnel in the state on election days.

Does this mean that INEC is not properly funded to manage its logistics without having to engage a compromised group?

The Electoral Act 2022 also provides that the commission has the right to request the deployment of security personnel to transport sensitive materials in order to safeguard citizens’ votes.

So why is that not an option?

INEC must not show itself to be partisan by working with someone who heads a partisan group.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, needs to critically assess the situation to make sure the commission is not compromised.

INEC likes Twitter post criticising Peter Obi

In another development, the electoral body has been criticised for identifying with a post that spoke against the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Twitter.

INEC’s official Twitter handle had liked a media publication (tweet) that carried a comment made by Seun Kuti describing Peter Obi as an ‘opportunist’.

This is another action that raises the credibility question.

Liking a partisan tweet is a grave error that should be corrected by the commission. There should be an official statement made to address this if INEC still stands for non-partisanship.

The commission needs to do its part in letting Nigerians know that it is capable of conducting free, fair and credible polls.

Photo source: INEC