PDP Demands Probe Over Alleged Gifts To INEC Officials

PDP Demands Probe Over Alleged Gifts To INEC Officials
Party warned allegations could damage electoral public trust.
INEC urged to respond transparently and address claims quickly.

The Peoples Democratic Party has called for an investigation into allegations that senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission received land and cash gifts from a minister in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the party said the reports, which surfaced last week, have raised concerns about the independence of the electoral body at a critical political period, warning that such claims could undermine public confidence in future elections.

In a statement issued by its factional National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party urged INEC to respond to the allegations with full transparency.

According to the statement, “The media space was, last week, awash with reports alleging that the minister offered land and cash gifts to senior staff of the commission.

“This news is very disturbing and worrisome and seems to connect the dots in the land-for-favour scenario currently being widely speculated as the strategy for institutional capture of the minister.”

The party also questioned why the alleged benefits were reportedly directed at election officials, noting that workers in other critical sectors such as healthcare, education and security have not received similar treatment.

“We have not heard of any land allocation to these people, obviously because they are not directly related to the election process.

“We, hereby, demand that the national chairman of INEC comes clean on these allegations against his top officials, and even himself, as he has also been alleged to be a beneficiary,” the statement added.

The PDP warned that failure to address the issue could further weaken trust in the electoral commission, urging swift action to reassure the public.

“The commission must remember at all times that it must strive to be, like Caesar’s wife, above board, and ensure that transparency and impartiality are not just watchwords but are obvious in both its words and actions,” it stated.