Civil society organization's, under auspices of Center for Public Accountability (CPA) and National Frontiers have took a swipe at the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for raising false allegation via false evidence and accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of complicity in encouraging underage voting or manipulating the voters register.

It would be recalled that sometime around mid-February 2018, just after local government elections in Kano State, footage of underage voters in an election went virile generating uproar. The former ruling party, now in opposition- the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the videos emanated from the Kano elections and accused the INEC of complicity in the alleged electoral malpractices. The party, after so much pontificating on ‘electoral integrity’, declared with finality that ‘Nigerians have lost confidence in the INEC Chairman’, Prof Mahmood Yakubu. It challenged the INEC Chairman to ‘sanitise’ the voters register in Kano and Katsina if he wants to be trusted.

A statement jointly signed by President, CPA, Kareem Abdul and Biodun Gbadebo Faluyi National Frontiers said that the INEC Chairman rose promptly  to the occasion to condemn the incident and to empanel an investigation to unravel the truth about this unfortunate development.

The statement said it would also be interesting to see the outcome of the investigation ordered by the INEC Chairman, describing underage voting is a condemnable electoral atrocity.

It said that it would be interesting to see the outcome of the investigation ordered by the INEC Chairman and the investigation should unravel the source of the videos and those behind the malpractices displayed in them.

The statement said all Nigerian who is genuinely interested in credible elections and good governance in Nigeria will be concerned by any act that subverts the sanctity of the electoral process.

The statement reads in part: ‘’Many of us have come across and listened to the INEC Chairman on many occasions including during his periodic interactive sessions with civil society at the behest of the Civil Society Election Situation Room.

‘’Very recently we also listened to him at an interactive session with the media and civil society organised by the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (SDMG) in Abuja. Prof Mahmood Yakubu speaks with erudition and passion. The enduring impression that many of us have of him remains that of an upright and forthright man committed to principles.

‘’A man of integrity who cares about history and how posterity will judge him. PDP’s outburst smacks of cant and blackmail. After reading about the ‘no confidence’ angry outburst, our  minds flashed back to Yakubu’s time and performance as Executive Secretary of Tetfund where he not only managed education funds transparently, prudently and accountably, but also refused to allow the mismanagement of the funds meant for tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria. We have read that he left behind billions of money which could have been embezzled.

‘’At the ISDMG interactive session in Abuja, we  listened to him update on INEC’s preparations towards the 2019 elections as he responded to questions from both the media and civil society representatives.

‘’He started with the frank  declaration that INEC can’t deliver without citizens’ participation. He declared that  INEC is determined to deliver a free, fair and credible election and that any INEC staff who tries to compromise will be dealt with according to the law.

‘’As on previous occasions when he met with civil society groups, he solicited the support of the media and civil society in sensitising and mobilising citizens for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. Apparently in response to PDP’s challenge that he should sanitise and make available the voters register, he declared at the event that ‘the total number of registered citizens will be on INEC’s website before the end of that week. He assured, confidently,  that 2019 election will be better than 2015. ‘For me, INEC work is a calling, not a job and I cannot afford to fail Nigerians.’

‘’He disclosed that the commission has virtually finished the planning process for the general election, having carried out a strategic plan."