The newly appointed head of election collation centre for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the 2019 elections, Mrs. Amina Zakari has denied having a consanguinity relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Zakari speaking in an interview with BBC News Igbo distanced herself from the niggling allegation that she is bloodily related to Buhari.

Her words, “I am not his niece, I am not his cousin. I was appointed on this same particular job by Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010. Prior to that I was appointed an A.S to former president Olusegun Obasanjo, and I did my job perfectly”.

Her appointment has generated myriads of criticisms and arguments from opposition’s political parties, Nigerians and Presidency.

Her appointment took effect from the directive of the President Muhammadu Buhari following the expiration of the tenure of her predecessor, Attahiru Jega on July 30, 2015.

However, since her appointment, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has delved into captious publications, insisting that she has a blood relationship with Buhari.

Presidency yesterday refuted the allegation and noted that Buhari and Zakari do not share a family relationship.

In a statement disclosed by the Senior Special Assistant to Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Presidency averred that “An inter-marriage occurred in their extended families, so the imputation of blood relationship between the President and the electoral commissioner is a simple lie”.

•Excerpted from a Vanguard report