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Rotimi Oyekanmi, spokesperson of the immediate-past president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has dismissed reports suggesting that the unit of the committee sang a “funeral song” for his main during his exit from office.
Oyekanmi, who exited the committee alongside Yakubu, said the reports were a deliberate effort to distort the facts, stressing that the songs rendered by INEC unit were expressions of emotion and appreciation, not mockery.
In a connection issued connected Thursday successful Abuja, the spokesperson described the publication, “particularly 1 by Sahara Reporters” arsenic “a mendacious and shameful portion of disinformation conjured by haters masquerading arsenic journalists.”
“The disposable amusement of emotion and respect displayed by appreciative INEC unit astatine the commission’s office yesterday, arsenic the departing erstwhile INEC Chairman, Yakubu, walked to his car, is present being intentionally misinterpreted and misrepresented arsenic a ‘funeral song,’” Oyekanmi said.
“This deliberate portion of disinformation tin lone beryllium conjured by a acceptable of haters masquerading arsenic journalists astatine Sahara Reporters. But they person failed and volition proceed to fail.”
He said the erstwhile INEC president was wide celebrated by unit for his “transformative policies” that improved welfare, promoted merit-based advancement, and enhanced capableness improvement crossed each levels of the commission.
“Contrary to the misleading report, the bulk of INEC unit openly talked astir Prof. Yakubu’s transformative policies that, implicit the past 10 years, led to elder and inferior unit promotions, much allowances, and respective capableness improvement initiatives,” helium said.
“Journalism is astir facts, accuracy and truthfulness, not a conveyance to beryllium misused by pseudo-journalists to embark connected a run of calumny against individuals.”
Oyekanmi urged Sahara Reporters to rein successful its reporters and desist from publishing falsehoods that could harm the credibility of individuals and institutions.
“It is precocious clip the absorption of Sahara Reporters cautioned persons utilizing its level to dispersed lies astir individuals, institutions and events, which volition beryllium detrimental to the newspaper’s estimation successful the agelong run. Prof. Yakubu’s spot successful past is assured, nary substance the lies being dispersed by acquainted forces,” helium added.
LEADERSHIP reports that Prof. Yakubu bowed retired arsenic INEC Chairman connected Tuesday, handing implicit to Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the astir elder National Commissioner, who present serves arsenic Acting Chairman pending the assignment of a substantive head.
Yakubu, who was archetypal appointed by erstwhile President Muhammadu Buhari connected October 21, 2015, and reappointed successful December 2020, said his determination to measurement down was to let for a creaseless modulation and continuity of electoral activities.
During the handover ceremony, Agbamuche-Mbu praised Yakubu for his enactment and reforms, noting that helium had “set a precocious grounds of service” during his tenure.
The outgone president was besides honoured with an Excellence Service Delivery Award during INEC’s 2025 Customer Service Week celebration.
As Yakubu took a last locomotion retired of the commission’s office aft radical photographs with staff, galore employees were seen singing and cheering, a infinitesimal Oyekanmi said was wrongly twisted into a antagonistic narrative.
“What happened was a farewell praise, not a dirge,” helium insisted.
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