***Lambast INEC for liking anti-Obi Post
The Obi-Datti Campaign Media office has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for clarification over a seeming partisan activity for liking a tweet that tended to deride the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
The electoral umpire being an independent organ in morality and law should not only be neutral but must strive to prevent anything real or imagined to suggest otherwise.
On Wednesday, INEC’s verified account on the microblogging site liked a post in which the son of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Seun Kuti, censured Obi.
Many Twitter users excoriated the commission for being sentimental when it should be objective as the umpire for the February 25 presidential election.
The commission’s account subsequently unliked the post and INEC issued a statement, assuring Nigerians of its neutrality, stating that it will conduct a general election that is free and fair to all.
The electoral umpire says it is probing the circumstance surrounding its verified Twitter account liking a post criticising the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
The electoral umpire has since said it will take appropriate disciplinary actions if an infraction is established after investigation.
A statement by Head of Media
Obi/Datti Campaign Council Diran Onifade said the council is not taking the matter lightly for INEC to like a post by a partisan person who has chosen a candidate to support.
“We expect the commission to explain to the concerned public who are looking up to them to be above board why they had to show such a level of obvious bias.
“Obi-Datti Media office notes that even if somebody in the Commission’s office wants to be biased, the law has denied them that because of the moral standards being expected of them.
“We expect INEC to come clean on this issue as it’s capable of eroding public confidence in the commission to conduct a free, fair, and transparent election. INEC should publicly apologize to the high-flying LP Presidential standard bearer.