Presidency, governors control INEC through political interests – Odinkalu
Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is heavily influenced by political interests from the presidency and state governments.
Odinkalu made the claim while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, during a discussion on the appointment of Prof. Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of INEC.
He described Amupitan, his former classmate in law school, as a person of integrity and intelligence, expressing hope that he would maintain his principles throughout his tenure at the electoral body.
However, he warned that INEC is “a territory ruled by many principalities,” noting that the commission is riddled with political interference.
Odinkalu further claimed that nearly all top politicians in the country have influence within the commission.
He said: “Well, I’ve got to say, I know Josh. We were in law school together. We were in the same law school class, and we were admitted to the Nigerian Bar on the same day. He’s what he said he is. Josh is a person of basic decency and integrity. And he’s bright as hell.
“My hope is that he will leave, when eventually his time comes, his tenure comes to an end, he will leave INEC as the same Josh whom I’ve known for the past 38 years.
“Now, INEC, obviously, is a different kettle of fish from running a university as a Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Although, you know, universities are also very political places, by the way, so it’s no mean skill, by the way, to be Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) in a university like the University of Jos, which is the last public position he took before he came to this position.
“Having said that, I can tell you that INEC is also a territory ruled by a lot of principalities, as he’s likely to find out. There are lots of interests in INEC. Pretty much every staff member in INEC is accounted for. Every politician owns a lot of staff inside INEC, alright? And so before he says, ‘Good morning,’ there is somebody reporting that to one politician. And he’s going to discover very soon that it’s a very lonely position. It’s a thankless job.
“The people interested in what he eats for breakfast are too many. The people interested in what he thinks, how he prays, even about what he desires to do, as much as, which is very important, what he precludes and whom he precludes from becoming the dominant principality within INEC. I think that’s probably what he’s going to find out. But as for the man himself, I know him reasonably well. He is better, a lot better, in terms of integrity, let me say this, than the person whom he is replacing.
“When I said that INEC is a place dominated by multiple principalities, that’s exactly the point I was trying to make, there is no senior politician from the presidency to the state governments who does not have a plant in INEC.”