- The LP is one of the 18 political parties registered and being regulated by INEC
- The LP had on Thursday demanded for a forensic investigation into the expenditure of released budget and donor funds received by INEC
The Labour Party (LP) has argued that there is no justification for demanding that Mahmood Yakubu, the party’s chairman, be fired, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The LP urged the international community to take “punitive action” against Yakubu and other key INEC officials for the handling of the 2023 elections during a press conference on Thursday.
The party said that the election reports from observation groups was sufficient proof.
But the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, told NAN that the “reasons adduced by the LP in making the latest and familiar demand are not only illogical but also ridiculous”.
Oyekanmi noted that INEC accredited local and international election observers under specific rules and regulations, under which they were required to submit their reports to the commission.
“Therefore, it is not within the remit of any election observer whatsoever to indict INEC. They are to observe, make recommendations if they have any, but never to indict.
“In the same manner, it is also not within the LP’s jurisdiction to demand the dismissal and prosecution of the INEC chairman over the outcome of an election in which the party fielded candidates,” Oyekanmi added.