There were signs yesterday that the Federal Government is unhappy with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega.
Indication to this effect emerged from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which asked Jega to step down as INEC chairman.
The NHRC is a wholly-owned Federal Government agency and its terse statement was seen as a ploy by the government to test the waters to demand Jega’s resignation.
In a statement by its Executive Secretary, Roland Ewubare, the NHRC said Jega’s excuse is untenable.
The NHRC Executive Secretary said: “Prof. Attahiru Jega’s position as Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is no longer tenable. He must now step down immediately in the national interest.
“Prof. Jega was given almost $1billion to run this election – and he can’t even get ballot papers printed on time? He has created a national fiasco of monumental significance.”
It could not be immediately ascertained at whose prompting the NHRC issued the statement.
A source said: “We may be in for a serious challenge in the next few days. With the kite flown by the National Human Rights Commission, it might be an agenda to ease out the INEC chairman.
“I think there is more to that statement by the Human Rights Commission which is being supervised by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
“We may be back to the era of June 12 crisis with this agenda setting by the NHRC. There is no way the commission can issue a statement on a sensitive issue like this without the backing of some government officials.”
It was gathered that although Jega believed that the problems INEC was facing was mainly that of logistics, however, some officials of the commission were suspecting sabotage.
A top source said: “Election management is money spinning with a lot of contracts here and there. Many people in government and INEC are uncomfortable with how Jega has stuck to due process and transparency.
“All contracts awarded are done strictly in accordance with business ethics. As far as Jega is concerned, you can’t make extra money from the system. That is why some people cannot rule out sabotage which INEC chairman doubted.”
It was also learnt that INEC management ran into trouble following crisis over the award of contract ballot papers.
The source said: “Some people have faulted the competence of some of those given the contracts for the ballot papers. There could have been sabotage from those who lost out in the bid for ballot papers.
“In fact, for the first time, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company was not given ballot papers contract unlike the case in 2007.”
Another source claimed that there had been strong indications that some government officials had been worried over the loyalty of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega.
Investigation by our correspondent showed that a former National Commissioner of INEC had recently tried to implicate Jega by selling a dummy to some officials in the presidency that the INEC chairman could not conduct a successful poll and might be a stooge of a former Vice-President
It was gathered that the ex-INEC chief attempted to destabilize the electoral agency in line with a hidden agenda of some politicians.
Unsuspectingly, according to findings, some government officials fell for the bait. It was learnt that the affected officials later confronted Jega with the allegation which he promptly denied and demanded any proof to the contrary.
“Actually, these people recently accused Jega of being a boy of a former VP and might influence the poll in favour of a candidate.
“They leveled the allegation based on the tip-off of a former National Commissioner, who was central to how 2007 elections were flawed.
“Jega took time to explain that he has no relationship with the ex-VP and could not have been his ‘boy’ not to talk of doing his bidding.”
“Jega was quoted as saying: ‘I will remain loyal to God, my conscience, and Nigeria. Although the affected officials were convinced by Jega, they have been uncomfortable with his ‘rigid’ style. “
Also yesterday, a group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned the decision of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the National Assembly election till Monday April 4th 2011 and has called on the National Assembly to sack with immediate effect Professor Attahiru.
The group said the National Assembly should appoint one of the most experienced National Commissioners to oversee the conduct of all the elections in line with the electoral Act 2010 as amended.
It hinged its call for the sack and prosecution of Prof. Attahiru Jega for undermining the smooth conduct of the polls which resulted in its sudden cancellation. The group believes that what Prof. Jega has done now amounted to ‘sabotage’ which must not go unpunished.
View post:
Fed. government’s agency seeks Jega’s exit