Professor Mahmood Yakubu

By Joseph Erunke

AREWA Youth Assembly has appealed to the Senate to reconvene for screening and confirmation of the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, following his reappointment to serve a second tenure by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It appealed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to work towards reconvening the Senate for that purpose before Yakubu’s ongoing tenure expires on the 9th of this month.

The organisation, in a letter titled: “The need for speedy screening and confirmation of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of theIndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, argued that “it will be in the interest of the country and the need for electoral reforms for the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to reconvene before the expiry date to screen and confirm the INEC Chairman.”

In the letter dated November 1, 2020, and signed by its Speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, the Area Youth Assembly added that it will be the joy of 50 million Arewa youths if the upper legislative chamber can hasten the screening and consequent confirmation of the INEC boss.

The letter read: “President Muhammadu Buhari has graciously approved the reappointment of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in line with his powers as contained in the 1999 Constitution. The current tenure of the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu expires on the 9th November 2020.

“It will be in the interest of the country and the need for electoral reforms for the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to reconvene before the expiry date to screen and confirm the INEC Chairman. This will enable a seamless transition and unhindered delivery of service by the commission, particularly knowing there are pending parliamentary elections.

“Most Distinguished, it will be the joy of over 50 million Arewa youths if you could accede to this our humble request.”