Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said his principal, Mahmood Yakubu will not contest for the 2023 presidential election.
Oyekanmi said this in reaction to what he described as innuendoes in certain quarters that Nigerians should not be surprised if the INEC Chairman joins the presidential race.
Yakubu’s spokesman in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday said the INEC Chairman is committed to the task of conducting credible elections which he is preoccupied with at the moment.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to innuendoes in certain quarters that Nigerians should not be surprised if the INEC Chairman joins the Presidential race or urges him to do so. It is a preposterous proposition. It will not happen.
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“The Chairman remains an umpire committed to free, fair and credible elections. His constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election are onerous enough for him to even contemplate straying into extraneous matters at variance with the law, morality and his personal principles.
“The Chairman will continue to discharge his responsibilities without affection for, or ill-will against, any political party or candidate.”
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