Niger: APC, PDP trade words over appointment of NSIEC members

By John Adams, Minna

The Niger State chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have engaged in a war of words over the recent composition of the State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) by Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago.

Governor Bago recently announced a seven-member electoral body in preparation for the forthcoming local government elections, appointing former APC state chairman, Engineer Jibrin Imam, as chairman. The commission also includes former state APC secretary, Barrister Mohammed Liman, as permanent commissioner, alongside five other APC members.

The PDP, in a statement by its Zone C Chairman, Hon. Yahaya Ability, criticised the appointments, questioning their neutrality and calling the move undemocratic and insensitive. The party accused the governor of a lack of fairness, equity, and transparency, arguing that the appointments would compromise the credibility of the local government elections.

In response, the APC defended the governor’s decision, insisting that the appointments complied with the law. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Musa Sarkinkaji (S.K.), stated that all nominees had resigned their APC memberships, making them eligible to serve in NSIEC.

“There is no aspect of the law that stops a person who has resigned from their party from being nominated into the commission,” he said.

Citing past administrations, Sarkinkaji pointed out that previous governors, including late Alhaji Abdulkhadir Kure, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, and former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, had also appointed card-carrying PDP members into NSIEC.

“What is important is getting people of impeccable character to serve in this commission, and that is what Governor Bago has done,” he added.

He urged the PDP to have confidence in the nominees’ ability to conduct free and fair elections, arguing that their focus would be on the development of democracy in the state.

Addressing corruption allegations against Jibrin Imam, Sarkinkaji declined to speak on the matter but advised him to seek legal redress against the PDP for alleged defamation.

“As we await the screening and clearance of these eminent Nigerlites, we have absolute confidence that they will perform credibly in conducting a peaceful local government election. All we need is everyone’s prayers, including Yahaya Ability’s, for their success,” he concluded.