INEC chair swears in nine RECs, warns against transgression

By : Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja

Date: 13 December 2023 6:43am WAT

Newly-appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC): Shehu Wahab for Nasarawa State (left), Aminu Idris (Kaduna), Oluwatoyin Babalola (Ondo) with Mahmood Yakubu (INEC Chairman) and Acting Director, Legal, Rekiya Na’uzo during the inauguration of the new RECs at the INEC headquarters, Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: LUCY LADIDI ATEKO

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has sworn in nine Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) that were recently appointed by President Bola Tinubu and cleared by the National Assembly.

Yakubu, at the ceremony in Abuja, yesterday, urged the RECs to understand and operate within the limits of their delegated powers and responsibilities, as the commission would not hesitate to deal with acts of defiance, indiscretion or transgression on the part of any REC.

Those sworn in are Isah Ehimeakne (Edo State), Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola (Ekiti) Abubakar Ma’aji (Gombe), Shehu Wahab (Kwara), Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos), Aminu Idris (Nasarawa), Prof. Mohammed Yelwa (Niger), Dr Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers) and Isma’ila Moyi (Zamfara).

However, the REC appointed for Akwa Ibom State, Etekamba Umoren, was not among those sworn in.

The INEC boss said Umoren would be inaugurated in January when the tenure of his predecessor, who is serving in Delta, will expire.

Yakubu told the RECs: “The conduct of elections is not only a huge responsibility, but also a sacred duty. As RECs, you are the representatives of the commission in the various states to which you will be deployed shortly. I urge you not to engage in a puerile debate that adds no value to your work. At the same time, you must not be impervious to genuine criticisms. You must maintain the commission’s tradition of regular consultation with critical stakeholders.

“You must always be very firm in ensuring fairness and transparency to all. Let me make it clear to you from the outset that you must, at all times, be guided by the electoral legal framework, the code of conduct for RECs and your good conscience. Similarly, I must warn you to understand and operate within the limits of your delegated powers and responsibilities. Our state offices are part and parcel of the commission, and we will not hesitate to deal with acts of defiance, indiscretion or transgression on the part of any REC.”

Mahmood added that this was the first time several INEC career officers were appointed as RECs, calling on them to hit the ground running.