Council accuses INEC of bias

The National Chairman of National Action Council (NAC), Hajiya Rabia Rakad Cengiz, has accused the Chairman of the Independent Electoral National Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, of gender bias over his refusal to recognise her leadership of the party.

She told reporters yesterday in Abuja that it was inexplicable that INEC would refuse to recognise a duly convened national convention of the party and elections of its national officers despite the presence of INEC officials at the event.

“We were in court today (yesterday) with INEC for refusing to recognise our convention held on 14 October, 2017. Unfortunately the judge was not on seat and the case was adjourned till 25 January, 2018.

“We are trying to ensure that INEC recognises our convention and my election as the duly elected national chairman of our party.

“I am saying that INEC chairman is gender biased. We have 46 political parties and only one woman is a national chairman of a political party. Now, another woman has emerged but INEC is refusing to accept that, why?” Cengiz said.

According to her, the party had been grounded for 15 years and only one chairman had been in charge since the formation of the party.

She said, “Before now, we do not even have an office in Abuja; we do not have structures. The party was in the briefcase of one man and because of that, INEC deregistered us in 2011.

“We came back in 2016 and as members, we are trying to see how to give life to this party. I am pleading to INEC chairman to allow our party to have life,” she said.