Former Governor Amaechi Claims APC Victory In 2015 Hinged On INEC Leadership.
Rotimi Amaechi, the former governor of Rivers State who served from 2007 to 2015, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not have secured victory in the 2015 Nigerian elections had the current chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, been in charge at the time. Speaking as a guest on Arise News’ Prime Time programme, Amaechi praised the former INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, whilst drawing sharp comparisons between Yakubu and another past chairman, Maurice Iwu.
“The current chairman of INEC, if he was the chairman of INEC in 2015, we would not have won. May God bless Jega. The current chairman of INEC can only be compared to Iwu,” Amaechi stated during the interview.
The former governor, who played a pivotal role in the APC’s rise to power, credited Jega with enabling the party’s registration after it met the necessary requirements. “When we were to register APC, Jega opened the door and we complied with the registration requirements. He got APC registered,” Amaechi explained. However, he accused the current INEC leadership under Yakubu of bias, alleging that the commission would not register a party even if it fulfilled all stipulated conditions. “The current man, if you comply with all these, he would not register you. Already INEC is biased,” he added.
Amaechi’s remarks come amidst ongoing debates about the impartiality and effectiveness of Nigeria’s electoral body as the nation reflects on past elections and prepares for future ones. His comments have sparked discussions about the role of leadership in ensuring free and fair polls, with many recalling Jega’s tenure as a benchmark for electoral integrity.
