INEC Chairman appointment 2025 should favour integrity over partisanship, says ADYC, urging Tinubu to choose a credible leader for Nigeria’s electoral body
INEC Chairman appointment 2025 must be based on integrity, competence, and national interest, not political loyalty, the African Democratic Youth Congress (ADYC) has said.
Also read: INEC Declares Bye-Election Inconclusive Over Irregularities
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, ADYC Director-General Prince Muritala Haliru Dantoro urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint a successor to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu whose tenure ends in December, with the credibility to restore public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
“If the president is going to choose the next INEC chairman, he should put Nigeria first — someone who has integrity, who has the interest of Nigeria at heart, not given to partisan or primordial interests,” Dantoro stated.
He warned that any appointment based on political convenience could erode democratic progress and further damage public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group also condemned the growing culture of vote buying, describing it as both undemocratic and criminal.
ADYC called for stricter legal consequences to deter the practice and protect electoral integrity.
“Vote buying is not merely a transaction; it is a betrayal of our collective future. It empowers those who prioritise personal gain over public service,” Dantoro said.
He challenged Nigerian youths to step out of the shadows and claim their rightful place in national leadership.
“Let’s educate our people in every village and street on the dangers of vote buying. It’s an assault on progress,” he added.
Echoing his message, National Coordinator of ADYC, Mrs. Ruqayya Lamido Dodo, said the youth can no longer afford to wait for a tomorrow that never comes.
“We are tired of being spectators in a nation that belongs to us. We are not just the leaders of tomorrow — we are the architects of today’s Nigeria,” she declared.
The ADYC, launched as a pro-democracy youth-led movement, aims to mobilise young Nigerians into active civic engagement and political leadership.
It plans to conduct grassroots voter education, public accountability campaigns, and leadership development programmes nationwide.
Also read: INEC leadership retirement sparks democracy concerns
As the countdown to December begins, the INEC Chairman appointment 2025 is seen as a critical test of President Tinubu’s commitment to electoral reform and democratic consolidation.
