Usman Okai Austin , a passionate activist from Kogi, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the incumbent INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, drawing parallels with the controversial tenure of former INEC chairman Maurice Iwu. In his candid critique, Austin accuses Yakubu of dubious acts, boldly stating that the electoral body is now reminiscent of the era of Maurice Iwu, who faced removal in 2005 due to allegations of massive manipulations.
In his official Facebook account, he says:
“The chairman of the most fraudulent organization, We are officially back to the Maurice Iwu era of electoral banditry, Maurice Iwu was just learning.This prof is a master he sells state to the highest bidder… Maurice Iwu announced results while election is in progress but this comes with results prepared even before the election.”
In Austin’s words, he describes INEC as the “most fraudulent organization” and asserts that the country has regressed to the days of Iwu’s electoral banditry, suggesting that Yakubu has elevated this manipulation to a masterful level, selling states to the highest bidder. He draws a stark comparison, claiming that Iwu was merely learning compared to the proficiency displayed by the current INEC chairman.
Highlighting the recent Kogi Guber election as a case in point, Austin points out significant manipulations, particularly citing instances of overvoting in Okene, Adavi, and Okehi, where the population doesn’t align with the reported numbers. Through his critique, Austin calls attention to what he perceives as a concerning trend of pre-prepared election results and challenges the integrity of the electoral process under Yakubu’s leadership.