ADC Crisis: INEC Not Neutral, Filled With APC Members – Senator Marafa

Former senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa, has raised concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral body.

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Naija News reports that Marafa in an interview with Vanguard, said many of those appointed into the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission are linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Marafa, who also served as the Zamfara State coordinator for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Organisation during the 2023 election, said the situation goes against the law, which requires electoral officials to remain neutral and not belong to any political party.

He spoke while reacting to the ongoing leadership dispute within the African Democratic Congress and the position taken by the electoral body.

According to him, the commission has failed to act as an independent umpire and appears to be taking sides in political matters.

The former lawmaker said the political atmosphere in the country is troubling as the 2027 election approaches.

He added that some political actors seem to be working towards removing competition from the process, despite the ruling party already controlling many states across the country.

Marafa insisted that Nigeria cannot function as a one-party state, noting that past attempts by powerful figures to control the political space did not succeed.

He warned that trying to force such a system on a large and diverse country like Nigeria would fail.

He said: “So how do you expect them to be neutral? They will not. they are card-carrying members. And everybody is watching, and the law provides that for you to be like Resident Electoral Commissioner, Federal Commissioner, Chairman, and what have you, you have to be neutral, non-partisan.

“But it is card-carrying members of political parties that are being appointed into INEC, and the result is what you are seeing today, when an INEC, led by a distinguished scholar and distinguished lawyer, would give an interpretation that even a layman like me would not. Just being a lawmaker for eight years prepares me to give a better interpretation of what the law says.”