A coalition of civil society organizations under the umbrella of the Transparency and Accountability Rights Initiative (TARI) has urged the public to dismiss recent claims linking the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, with Dr. Chima Mathew Amadi.
The allegation, which surfaced during a press conference held on September 4, 2025, alleged that Prof. Yakubu was working in alliance with Dr. Amadi. TARI, however, described the accusation as baseless and misleading.
In a statement signed by Dr. Agbo Frederick on behalf of the coalition, TARI demanded an immediate retraction of the claim and a formal apology to both Prof. Yakubu and Dr. Amadi.
The group further appealed to political actors and interest groups in Imo State to desist from spreading unverified information, stressing that such conduct only fuels unnecessary tension and distracts from critical democratic and governance processes as the nation prepares for the 2027 general elections.
TARI outlined its key demands as follows:
1. Retraction of the allegation and a public apology to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Mathew Amadi.
2. Cessation of unverified claims capable of stoking political unrest.
3. Renewed commitment by government and political stakeholders to pressing governance issues, particularly job creation, infrastructure development, and security.
