Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank and Chairman of Anap Foundation, Atedo Peterside, has described the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu as a national disgrace.
Peterside made the remark during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Monday, while assessing Nigeria’s electoral process and his expectations for the commission’s new leadership under Professor Joash Amupitan.
He expressed disappointment over the conduct of previous elections, accusing the electoral body of manipulating results uploaded on its portal.
“The INEC that was left by Prof Mahmoud Yakubu was a national disgrace,” Peterside said. “If you have time, you just have to go on the IReV. I can take you there myself and show you result sheets which they manipulated. Sometimes they changed figures and forgot to change the words. This didn’t add up at all.”
Peterside, who has long been an advocate for transparent governance and credible elections, noted that Nigeria’s democratic growth depends on restoring public trust in electoral institutions. He added that citizens would only regain confidence in the process when INEC demonstrates integrity, transparency, and accountability in the discharge of its duties.
The respected economist, however, expressed cautious optimism about the incoming INEC leadership headed by Prof Joash Amupitan, urging the commission to prioritize credibility and rebuild the confidence of Nigerians ahead of the forthcoming off-cycle elections in Anambra and Ekiti states.
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