The exit of Prof. Atahiru Jega as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission will take a natural course, the Federal Government has said.
Supervising Minister of Information and Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, said this when he met with newsmen at the headquarters of the Ministry of Information in Abuja on Friday.
While answering a question on whether the Federal Government planned to send Jaga on terminal leave before the expiration of his tenure in June, Duke said Jega would not be sacked as President Goodluck Jonathan had pledged but added that his exit from the electoral body would follow a natural sequence.
The minister said, “On the issue of the INEC chairman, I align myself with what the president said that he has no plan to sack the INEC chairman.
“That is not to say that if it is time for the INEC chairman to naturally exit his office, then the natural course of things will not take place.
“It is like saying, a civil servant has done 35 years or achieved the age of 60; we now begin to say that he must not retire or he must retire. I think all of that is in the terrain of the presidency and he has spoken.”
Duke added, “I will also like to say once on that issue. I recall that for several weeks now; people keep threatening the president on the shift in the date of the poll. You begin to wonder that parties have a couple of extra weeks in order to reinvigorate their campaigns and try to reach as many voters as possible. Rather than do that, you begin to identify imaginary pockets of unlikely developments and then focus your attention on them and then when you lose election, you begin to complain.”
Members of the All Progressives Congress in the Senate had on Thursday alleged that there was a fresh plot by the Federal Government to prevent Jega from superintending over the forthcoming general elections.
The APC senators, led by George Akume, told a news conference in Abuja that they heard from a reliable source that the Head of Service would direct Jega to proceed on his pre-retirement leave next week.
“We have received information from a very credible source that next week, the Chairman of INEC will be given a letter from the office of the Head of the Civil Service to proceed on a terminal leave,” they said.
The opposition senators alleged that the Federal Government was trying to use a circular from the HoS dated August 11, 2010 to place Jega on compulsory pre-retirement leave.
They said, “Whether the letter emanates from the HoS office or the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, it does not make sense. Even if we go by the terms of the Civil Service circular of August 11, 2010, (it) is not applicable whatsoever to the INEC chairman.”
The lawmakers explained that the circular, with reference number HCSF/CMO/1772/TI/11, talks about clarifications on pre-retirement leave, which is only applicable to tenured officers who are career civil servants.
They said anyone who has spent 30 years in service or has attained 60 years of age was bound to disengage officially from the service. The senators however said that the case of Jega did not fall into any of these.
The lawmakers claimed that Jega’s offence was his readiness to conduct the elections when the Peoples Democratic Party-controlled Federal Government was not.
The opposition senators insisted that using the issue of card readers to discredit Jega would not work because the National Assembly appropriated money for that purpose. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Be on your guard, APC. PDP is looking for all means to remove Jega because he won't let them rig the election. Don't trust anything that Jonathan says, because he is a man of no integrity. If Jega is asked to proceed on whatever type of leave before he finishes his assignment, the Head of Service must be forced to resign. The world must know that we are serious about correcting the ills of our society. Corruption should no longer be our operational word, and that is why Jonathan is not fit to lead the society because he can't be weaned from corruption. It is his strength, and that's the only language he speaks. He is taking the country down with him, but we must not allow him. Jonathan is always looking for someone else to do his dirty job for him. The country has him figured out, but we must remain vigilant as to his next unsanitary move. He cannot be trusted.
ReplyDeleteYou're right on point Anonymous 6:16pm. I totally agree with your comment and advise to sincere and patriotic Nigerians.
DeleteWhy is the APC particularly interested in Jega conducting the election? Betrays some hidden agenda.
ReplyDeleteSorry Anonymous 8:32pm, you totally miss the point.
DeleteRather than betray hidden agenda, APC has to the glory of God once again exposed the sinister plans and intrigues of GEJ/PDP.
God will, for the sake of sincere and patriotic Nigerians, disgrace GEJ/PDP out of power this time around. This is because, God can never support a liar and God is never a backer of a morally bankrupt and deceitful Government/Leadership.
The right question should be why is pdp trying to get rid of him
DeleteFool it's because Jega want and will conduct credible and free and fair election. No more rigging of election of Nigeria but your PDP don't want credible election forgetting that, that same Jega was the one that conducted the 2011 election and Jona won so why is he afraid now. Is it because he couldn't manipulate Jega anymore?
ReplyDeleteAPC members are just blabbing, Jega has been compromised and therefore has to go. INEC registered millions of under aged voters in Buhari's stronghold, distributed more card there by going house to house to share the cards. In the peaceful south, INEC were unable to distribute up to 60% of their PVC, till date I've not been able to collect mine and Jega came out to boldly tell Nigerians that INEC is ready. If at least 95% of the registered voters had their PVC, then he should go ahead in conducting the election but if not then he is playing games with the presidency.
ReplyDeleteWhat is election without the electorate? He had 4yrs to prepare for this and yet they are still talking of PVC distribution.
This is my humble opinion.
Allow Jega to finish what he has started,the politicians shld know that their perfomance while in office is very important.They shld not be afraid of election,when we nigerians seems to be satisfy with what Jega has done so far,atleast in term of blocking ways of rigging the electn,the election shld hold
ReplyDeleteJega conducted d 2011 election that brought Jonathan in. Why is PDP suddenly now against his doing this in 2015. His tenure of office allows him to do so .... And PDP s Jonathan , out of over 15 political parties cannot dictate the umpire in an election.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 6:16. Pls don't come here to make mockery of yourself. If you don't understand what terminal leave implies then seek help instead of coming here to display your ignorance. Jonathan is the best president since Nigeria's independence. The rot of over 50 years can never be addressed in 4 years. Be reasonable and always respect constituted authorities.
ReplyDeleteGood question. I wonder how some of us reason in this country. It is unthinkable (apology for using that word) that the head of such an all important agency will be replaced at the 11th hour. It is not an exaggeration that 99.9% of Nigerian football fans will never support, for example, NFF's decision to replace Super Eagles head coach a month to a major competition like the world cup or AFCON. Then what are we talking about? The statement made by the honourable minister that "Jega's exit will take a natural course" is pregnant & suspicious.
ReplyDeleteBetrays some hidden agenda in what sense? Why dies PDP insist on Jega going on leave??this is no more a rumor as we all know, so stop saying what you dont know. APC should be careful with jonathan, the guy is a blatant Liar.....they postponed this election to campaign and thats all, but its a blessing for change thats the truth.
ReplyDeleteNigeria is a civilized democracy in Africa....Let due process be followed.
ReplyDeleteNatural course like you forced him to postponing the Election. His only sin NOW is that he refused to accept responsibility for the postponement. And will not play according to the criminal dictates of the pdpigs.
ReplyDeletePdp can only play Nigeria but it can never succeed by trying to play Almighty Allah
ReplyDeleteJega is anti pdp and pro apc, for that reason, Jega will be removed befor the election. Jega was hired by pdp and pdp has the power to fire him.Jega must be removed and u the apc people cannot do any thing.
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ReplyDeleteYes he should be sent of a terminal leave, because he has compromised by secretly holding meeting with APC chietains in Dubai too sad. I strongly support his removal with immediate effect. If you are a plentiful in a court and next thing you hear or see is that the presiding judge over your case is frequently holding a private meeting with your defendant, what will you do if you have the privilege to do anything?
ReplyDelete