Professorship shouldn’t be qualification to be INEC chairman – Oditah

Former Delta State governorship aspirant, Fidelis Oditah, has said that being a professor should not be the qualification to become chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Prof Oditah made this statement on Wednesday, while responding to questions in an interview on Arise Television.

His remarks are coming following the bowing out of Prof Mahmoud Yakubu as the chairman of the electoral body.

“For the chairmanship of INEC, I don’t mean to disparage or pull down professors but of course it is important to emphasize that just being a professor, professing knowledge of a particular area of human endeavour does not qualify one to be an INEC commissioner, let alone INEC chairman.

“And of course we remember that in the 2019 elections, two professors were convicted of fraudulent electoral conduct in Akwa-Ibom State.

“We have to be sceptical while thinking that professorship by itself is a conclusive requirement.

“I think we have to be careful. I don’t think that the solution lies in just the appointment of professors. There’s nothing against them. I don’t have anything against professors,” he said.