AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The National Association of Oduduwa Students (NAOS) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) emerges from the Southwest region.
In a statement signed by its National President, Ambassador Olalere Benedict Adetunji, and Public Relations Officer, Ambassador Ajadi Ibrahim J., the association lamented that since the inception of Nigeria’s electoral body in 1964, no individual from the Southwest has been appointed as INEC Chairman.
According to the group, records show that the position has rotated among the South-South, South-East, North-West, and North-East, leaving the Southwest “completely sidelined” for over six decades.
Describing the situation as a glaring imbalance and an injustice, NAOS said it was time for the Federal Government to correct the anomaly in the spirit of fairness, equity, and national inclusion.
“The Southwest has made immense contributions to Nigeria’s democratic growth and stability.
“Zoning the INEC chairmanship to the region will not only strengthen the credibility of our electoral process but also reinforce justice and unity among the diverse regions of the country,” Adetunji stated.
NAOS, therefore, appealed to the Presidency, the National Assembly, and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic project to consider its demand in the interest of fairness and true federal character.
