(INEC), has clarified that it does not have preference for any candidate or political party. The clarification is coming on the heels of the Commission’s liking of a tweet by Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, calling his counterpart in the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi, an opportunist.
Sowore had in a tweet called Obi an opportunist who fell in love with President Muhammadu Buhari, who he also described as wicked and incompetent, because of the Naira redesign policy.
He also said Obi believed the policy would confer undue advantage on his campaign.
Surprisingly, the tweet was liked by the INEC, sparking controversy, with Nigerians questioning the neutrality of the electoral body.
However, the INEC has come out to make clarification surrounding the controversy. It issued a statement on its Twitter handle on Wednesday.
It wrote, “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a post on its Twitter handle, liking a post relating to one of the 18 Presidential candidates.
“The Commission is an independent electoral body and does not have preference for any candidate or political party. The Commission assures all Nigerians of its neutrality and will conduct a general election that is free and fair to all. The allegiance of the Commission is to the people of Nigeria.
“In the meantime, the Commission is investigating the circumstances that led to the liking of the said post and will take appropriate disciplinary actions if an infraction is established.”