THOSE pushing for a new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) helmsman may have lost the
battle to cause disaffection within the agency, The Nation learnt yesterday.
There have been calls for Prof. Attahiru Jega’s removal. Prominent among such callers are Ijaw leader Edwin
Clark, former presidential adviser Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife and National Conference Planning Committee
Chairman Dr. Femi Okurounmu.
But, an attempt to enlist some National Commissioners into the Jega-must-go plot has collapsed, with the
officials resisting pressure to have him replaced.
The “enraged” commissioners vowed to swim and sink with Jega instead of rocking the boat, a source said.
Two of them have openly threatened to take legal action against the media associating them with moves to
replace Jega.
Most of the National Commissioners yesterday resolved to stand by Jega because, according to them, the
INEC boss has been a team player. They reportedly met with Jega to pledge their solidarity with him.
Jega’s tenure is to end in June, but there are moves to force him to go on a terminal leave – a plot lawyers
have dismissed as illegal because the INEC chairman’s tenure is not covered by civil service rules.
The commissioners, said another source, also expressed their determination to thwart efforts to frustrate the
conduct of the March 28 presidential election by causing disaffection within INEC.
The commissioners specifically said they are opposed to any move to tamper with the leadership of INEC at
a ‘critical period’.
A source said: “None of the INEC National Commissioners is ready to replace Jega. These commissioners
have resisted pressure to either move against Jega or replace him. Most of them were yesterday furious over
reports linking them to succession intrigues in the commission.
“Two of the commissioners opted for legal action to demonstrate their disinterestedness in the leadership of
INEC.”
One of them was quoted as saying: “I prefer to leave INEC with my shoulders high instead of being used
against Jega.”
A National Commissioner said: “Well, all I can say is that we have been doing a lot of teamwork here and
Jega has been extremely transparent.
“We are actually working round the clock for the conduct of the poll; we are not distracted in any way.
“None of us will do anything differently from what Jega has done because we have been part of the team
work. I can tell you that most of us are uninterested in replacing Jega. Some of us have met Jega to tell him
our position to back him till the end.”
The Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Robert Idowu, said: “The commission considers the
rumour about people seeking to replace the INEC chairman as distracting.
“The commission is one, the decisions are collectively taken and there is no division whatsoever.”
INEC yesterday named the 12 states where it will conduct mock elections to test run the use of Card
Readers.
INEC released the list in its bulletin No. 726 on the preparation for the general elections.
The statement said: “ Ahead of the general elections rescheduled for March 28th and April 11th 2015 and
taking advantage of the six weeks period of extension from the previous schedule, the Independent National
Electoral Commission(INEC) is to further conduct field testing of the functionality of the Smart Card Readers
to be deployed for the accreditation of voters on Election Day.”
“According to the Commission’s Decision Extract issued on 26th February and signed by the Director
(Commission’s Secretariat), Ishiaku A. Gali, the field testing will take place in two states of each of the six
geopolitical zones of the Federation simultaneously on March 7.
“The states selected for the exercise are: Ekiti and Lagos(South-West); Anambra and Ebonyi(South-East);
Delta and Rivers(South-South); Kano and Kebbi(North-West); Bauchi and Taraba(North-East); and Niger
and Nasarawa(North-Central).
“According to the Decision Extract, the Resident Electoral Commissioners(RECs) of the selected states are
charged with the following tasks:
•Selecting one Registration Area with full complement of the PVCs and with appreciable distribution level of
such PVCs for undertaking the field test;
•Ensuring that the Register of Voters in respect of all Polling Units(PUs) in the selected Registration Area is
printed for the conduct of the exercise; and
•Carrying out engagements with key stakeholders at the state level, and in particular, stakeholders in the
selected Registration Area where exercise would be conducted to ensure massive participation by registered
voters.
“The Decision Extract further directed that National Commissioners are to supervise the conduct of the
exercise in their zones and that Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) who are not selected for the
exercise should observe the conduct of the exercise in their zones in conjunction with the National commisioners. thenationonlineng.net/new/inec-commissioners-shun-push-to-back-anti-jega-plot/

Inec will do it best in securing free and fair credible election ooooo.

JEGA ke....

Hmmm I watched the boring episodes of image attacks on tinubu on AIT and became so bored cos my decision to March4Change does not involve Tinubu at all....PDP is missing the point..... Am voting out 91% recurrent expenditure budget and 9% capital expenditure!!! Never again to such inimical budget... Show me the NNPC audit report....

I have decided to March4Change!

GEJ shall fail on all fronts.

Don't you love it when your subordinates stand by you and vouch for you just because you're transparent and carry them along?

It is shameful that the same Jega that conducted 2011 elections which Jonathan used as a reference to his success in ensuring free and fair elections is the same man he wants to remove by all means possible. Jona is a huge joke I tell you.

Mr. Jona, you are but a single being in Nigeria. There was Nigeria before you were born and there shall be Nigeria long after you're gone. So thread softly.

Ok! summarise

keep calm and vote Buhari

#I_Have_Decided
GMB 2015

All these bu11sh1t won't help PDP.With all these n still went ahead 2 vote 4 PDP,I must b d most f00lish n senseless being in d world.

United they stand.

The man is on the verge of dismissal. A slim chance that he'd make it to the shore without sinking

Great team spirit from the RECs

This country is on the verge, GEJ knows but he doesn't mind becoming president today and Nigeria splitting the next day. Should he succeed in removing Jega, I expect this country to boil.

Civil war is the last thing we pray for in this nation but with Gej's continuous insistent on being a jerk, it may be inevitable.

A man who was so loved by the people in 2011 ( even I almost voted for him until the Bode George thanks giving bullcrap) has totally ruined his chance in the next election but instead of him to go, he wants the country to go instead.

We will all feel the impact. Those so called elder statesmen that keep deceiving him will lead him to the path of destruction. Matter of time.

praxisnetworks:
JEGA ke....

Hmmm I watched the boring episodes of image attacks on tinubu on AIT and became so bored cos my decision to March4Change does not involve Tinubu at all....PDP is missing the point..... Am voting out 91% recurrent expenditure budget and 9% capital expenditure!!! Never again to such inimical budget... Show me the NNPC audit report....

I have decided to March4Change!

allow me to respond ad a TANoid:
Bros, the capital expenditure is 13% and not 9%. Stop trying to give jona a bad name

GEJ till 2015

Shame on GEJ and PDP!

INEC should remain United and resist all the agents of darkness that is Jonathan and PDP.

The Fear of an iminent landslide victory of the Opposition is the begining of Insecure feeling of the UMPIRE's Competence inspite of credited praises by the incumbent for excellent delivery and execution of previous Task by same UMPIRE.
#Enough of GoalPostShifting

GEJ's Aljazeera Interview was a colossal disgrace to him.

all through, he seemed drunk and sober

the interviewer was not kind to him as she repeatedly asked about "if you lose the election" while he repeatedly said "ah ah, i am not going to lose the election"

lol...i could imagine his innermost fears, at times you just have to pity poor Gej, this man doesn't want to be president, but the number f vultures on his head won't allow him escape.


As someone asked, where was Asari Dokubo, where was Edwin Clark, Where was Tompolo and BoyLoaf when people lke OBJ and Dora Akunyili pushed the Yar'Adua Cabals away and made way for a timid GEJ as acting President, now they are busy shouting "Goodluck na awa pesssin"

The AIT documentary against Tinubu is trying to advice us not to vote for a honest Buhari because of a corrupt Tinubu who supports him.

what they failed to convince me on is how a Corrupt GEJ who is supported by a corrupt GANG is a better Option.

Anyday anytime, I will go for a Honest Buhari, even if Satan joins APC.

Sai BABA as he lands Nigeria Tomorrow for the "Final Onslaught of the FeeDeeFee"

pix speaks....

SLIDEwaxie:
allow me to respond ad a TANoid:
Bros, the capital expenditure is 13% and not 9%. Stop trying to give jona a bad name

GEJ till 2015

If Jega likes, let him be an individual or team player, he's moving his partial ass out!
We need someone who's rnot compromised like he is.