Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu has reacted to calls by the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress , Adams Oshiomhole  for the resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof.  Mahmood Yakubu.

Speaking to journalists on Monday at his Ibadan residence on the rescheduling of the general elections, Shittu called on all Nigerians to give the INEC chairman the benefit of the doubt.

According to the minister, the resignation of the INEC Chairman would adversely affect the conduct of the presidential election which has been rescheduled to hold on Saturday, February 23.

Shittu said: “When Oshiomhole supervised a horrible primary election of the party, who called for his resignation? I will not support such call for resignation of the INEC chairman.”

“To err is human. We have not seen any political motivation as to what has happened in INEC. If Oshiomhole calls for the resignation of the INEC chairman, he should also be preparing to resign as chairman.”

“Did anybody ask him to resign for the horrible management of primary elections under his watch? This is the first election that Professor Yakubu will be conducting so we need to give him the benefit of doubt and I will advise that all the political parties be vigilant.”

“If you bring in another chairman, when does such a person begin to learn the process? Or will you on the bases of that, call for another rescheduling of the elections? Certainly, it is unacceptable for anyone to ask for the resignation of INEC chairman,” he said