Sumner Sambo, the Director of News at Arise News, has advised President Bola Tinubu to refrain from speaking on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Sambo maintains that it is not the role of the President to validate the fairness of the electoral body to the public.
This statement follows remarks made by President Tinubu on Tuesday while hosting the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at the State House. During the discussion, led by Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, the President dismissed claims of bias against INEC. Tinubu insisted the commission has remained impartial and suggested that criticism from political rivals stems from their own insecurities rather than genuine concerns.
Sambo countered these comments by emphasizing that the perception of fairness must come directly from the actions of the electoral commission itself. He argued that INEC needs to operate independently from the executive branch to prevent public skepticism. The upcoming 2027 presidential race is expected to feature major candidates including Bola Tinubu of the APC, Peter Obi of the NDC, and Atiku Abubakar of the ADC.
