CUPP faults FCDA’s role in building INEC headquarters

Mahmood

The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Mr Peter Ameh, has questioned the decision by the Federal Capital Development Authority to construct a new headquarters for the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Ameh, a former National President of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, also warned about what he called the politicisation of the electoral umpire.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and made available to PUNCH Online, the former presidential candidate said, “The recent decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow the Federal Capital Development Authority to construct its new national headquarters in Abuja is deeply troubling and constitutes a direct assault on the commission’s constitutional independence.

“I strongly condemn this move as an unacceptable return to practices that undermine Nigeria’s democratic progress. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) explicitly safeguards INEC’s autonomy under Section 158(1), which insulates the commission from external control in its operations. Punch