From Sola Ojo, Kaduna

Following the recent comments made by presidential candidate of the Labour Party Mr. Peter Obi, President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Yerima Shettima, has reiterated his unwavering trust in the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Shettima in a statement on Saturday believed that INEC is a reputable institution that consistently upholds the principles of fairness, impartiality, and transparency in conducting elections in the country.

According to him, Obi’s acknowledgment that the judiciary, rather than INEC, poses the greatest challenge to Nigeria’s democracy, further strengthened his conviction in the integrity of the apex electoral umpire in the land.

“The AYCF has long maintained that INEC is a credible, impartial, and unbiased institution that consistently conducts credible elections.

“Peter Obi’s remarks have vindicated our stance and affirmed that INEC is not the primary obstacle to democratic electoral practices in Nigeria.

“We emphasized the importance of strong institutions like INEC in ensuring the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

“He further highlighted the detrimental impact of the judiciary assuming the role of the sole arbiter in election matters.

“The AYCF firmly believes that strong and independent institutions such as INEC are essential in preserving the democratic fabric of our nation.

“The Forum recognizes the critical role that INEC plays in upholding the will of the people through free, fair, and credible elections.

“We commend INEC for its dedication to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and safeguarding the democratic rights of Nigerian citizens.

“It is our steadfast belief that any attempts to undermine the credibility of INEC or question its impartiality are detrimental to the progress of our democratic system”, he said.

Shettima, however, called on all stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organizations, and the media, to support and uphold the independence of INEC in conducting free, fair, and credible elections.