A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has asked Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo to withdraw alleged defamatory claims made against Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Chima Amadi, a development scholar and governance advocate.
The coalition, under the umbrella of Transparency and Accountability Rights Initiative, made the call in a statement issued on Monday in Owerri, the Imo capital.
The statement was signed by Agbo Frederick, for the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Democracy and Accountability.
The group said Uzodimma was behind the press conference organised by the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) on September 4, 2025, during which allegations were made against Yakubu and Amadi.
“Governor Hope Uzodinma bears full responsibility for this reckless attempt to blackmail Prof Mahmood Yakubu. The so-called GII is his creation, his mouthpiece and his attack dog. Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf,” the CSOs said.
The coalition described the accusations that Yakubu had an alliance with Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections as false and dangerous.
“Prof Mahmood Yakubu remains a beacon of electoral professionalism and impartiality. His record speaks for itself. The attempt to soil his reputation with fabricated tales is both defamatory and a national security risk and as much must be condemned in its entirety,” the statement reads.
The CSOs also defended Amadi, describing him as “a respected development scholar, a courageous voice for the downtrodden and a patriotic Nigerian who has never been associated with crime or treason.”
The coalition accused Uzodinma of trying to silence dissent and divert attention from what it described as his “abysmal record in office.”
“We hereby place the following demands squarely at the feet of Governor Hope Uzodinma: immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Prof Mahmood Yakubu and Dr Chima Amadi, a public apology to both men within seven days, published in at least three national dailies and broadcast on major television networks,” the group said.
The CSOs urged Uzodinma to focus on addressing insecurity, unemployment and poverty in Imo state instead of “silencing opposition voices and running smear factories.”