Nigeria President Relative Part of Electoral Body, ThisDay Says

(Bloomberg) -- A relative of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was appointed to a key role at the electoral commission ahead of a February vote in which the leader will seek a new term, ThisDay newspaper reported.

Amina Zakari was named national commissioner for a committee in charge of the national collation center where the presidential election’s results will be announced, the Lagos-based paper said, citing the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu.

According to ThisDay, Zakari is Buhari’s niece, although a spokesman of the ruling All Progressives Congress party denied that.

The opposition People’s Democratic Party, whose candidate Atiku Abubakar will be Buhari’s main challenger, rejected Zakari’s appointment, alleging she’s a blood relation of the president, ThisDay reported, citing PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan.

“I can tell you without mincing words that she is not related to the president,” APC spokesman Lanre Issa-Onilu said Friday by phone. “The PDP is afraid of an obvious defeat so they can continue to look for excuses here and there.”

A presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, declined to comment on the matter, while another didn’t answer calls.

--With assistance from Emele Onu.

To contact the reporters on this story: Sophie Mongalvy in Lagos at smongalvy@bloomberg.net;Tope Alake in Lagos at talake@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net, Michael Gunn, Sophie Mongalvy

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