Nigeria’s former head of state Muhammadu Buhari , has called for the sack of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, and other top officials of the commission, saying the electoral body, as presently constituted, cannot be trusted to deliver on credible elections.

Speaking in London at the 4th British-African Diaspora conference held at the British House of Parliament on the theme “Stable Democracy and Nigeria’s Economy,”, Mr. Buhari said sacking Mr. Jega and his lieutenants is a good starting point for fixing Nigeria’s broken electoral system.

“All the present indications are that INEC as it is presently constituted would be unable to deliver any meaningful elections in 2015,” the former head of state said.

“INEC’s top echelon is immersed deep in corruption and only wholesale changes at the top could begin to cure its malaise.”

He said for future elections to be credible and hitch-free, government needs to do a clean sweep of the personnel at INEC, replacing them with Nigerians of unquestionable integrity.

“What is required is a group of independent minded people, patriotic, incorruptible but with thecapacity to handle such a strenuous assignment of conducting elections in Nigeria. It is not difficult to find such people but whether the Government and the National Assembly have the inclination to do so I am not so sure.” Mr. Buhari added.

He accused the Jega-led INEC of having developed “a very cozy relationship with Executive and Judicial arms of government that its impartiality is totally lost”.

Mr. Buhari recalled that in the run-up to the last elections the electoral body “requested (and received with indecent haste) in excess of 80 billion naira (about £340m.) a hefty sum by any standards, so that it could conduct the elections including organizing bio-metric voters data specifically for the 2011 elections”.

He said that but when opposition parties “challenged the patently dishonest figures it announced and subpoenaed the bio-metric data in court, INEC refused to divulge them on the laughable excuse of “National Security”.

Mr. Buhari also spoke on a wide range of issues from state creationto zoning system, poverty and wealth creation as well as the 2015 general elections. He said thescourge of corruption is deeply rooted in the nation, which puts the fight against the menace beyond the capacity of any government.
Reiterating the view expressed in arecent interview by the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission , ICPC, Ekpo Nta, that “there is no political will (by government) to fight corruption in Nigeria”, the former Presidential flag bearer of the CPC underscored the need for cooperation by all Nigerians in the campaign to rid the country of corruption in all its ramifications.

“Until serious efforts are made to tackle corruption, which is beyond the capacity of the government, economic growth and stability will continue to elude us,” he noted.

He, however, acknowledged Nigeria’s capacity to emerge as an economically competitive nation if the wrongs of political and economic corruption are corrected, adding that “democracy” cannot function optimally without a certain level of economic attainment.

According to the CPC chieftain, there is no short cut to poverty eradication other than to get people to work and earn their living, pointing out that there was need to ensure that agriculture thrives throughout the country through the provision of adequate incentives, like fertiliser, pesticides and small-scale credits to farmers.
He identified agriculture as one area that would greatly boost the growth of Nigeria within five to seven years, adding that the massive drift from rural to urban centres would be greatly reduced if proper attention is given the sector by government and other stakeholders.

He said attention should also be paid to the revival of employment generating activities through the small and medium enterprises, notably in the textiles industry and other land and forest resources-based industries to absorb the huge urban labour, in the drive to tackle poverty, reduce crime and boost economic growth

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/123458-buhari-calls-for-jegas-sack-accuses-inec-deep-corruption.html

...and put Tunde Bakare or El-Rufai abi?
SMH....

Jona abeg,hav u pay diz guy diz month.abeg do.

When will Buhari learn how to and when to talk?

Is this how he will sack Senate President and Speaker in one day if he so desires.

We don tire of this your Military Orientation.

for me, JEGA conducted the most credible election in Nigerian history, and I believe he will do same come 2015,

Buhari...wake up and stop dreaming...u dont win election,does not mean INEC and its officials are corrupt.

Atleast Jega led INEC and the GEJ led administeration should be credited for having a commendable level of free and fair election in this country...and dts y u will nt see pdp wining all those state like EDO,ONDO etc during d last elections.
Whether he(Buhari) likes it or not...dere is no vacancy 4 him Aso, and GEJ till 2019...

Let him continue using his boko boys...he is only dwindling d economy of d North...

GEJ is working,Haters can continually get angry!!!

GOD BLESS GEJ,GOD BLESS NIGERIA AND GOD BLESS ALL PEACEFUL LOVING NIGERIANS!!!

Those who are pushing Buhari to contest the 2015 elections would be disappointed that their hero has conceded defeat even before election day. Buhari is obviously shedding tears of defeat in advance. I empathise with him

@op please change the title of this thread to "Buhari takes his stupidity abroad".

Hmmm Mr buhari better go an sit down In somewhere don't think you can smell president sit again am apc but we can not give our support to you ever

An election is never credible until this old fart is favoured.

Well... Looks like he's going to have to wait until his corpse has long decomposed and served as fertilizer to the thick elephant grass growing on his grave.

Buhari is a very crazy and desperate ediot

lol Buhari wants to appoint the next INEC chairman

man looking for who will rig him in

I have nothing against Jega but I know INEC is a cesspool of corruption and disgusting vermin posing as humans. The empty-headed ninny muggins with deep seated hatred for Buhari should know he his entitled to his opinion! Hope the president will allow for the full implementation of the Uwais report!

take dat: I have nothing against Jega but I know INEC is a cesspool of corruption and vermins. The empty-headed ninny muggins with deep seated hatred for Buhari should know he his entitled to his opinion! Hope the president will allow for the full implementation of the Uwais report!

Well i see you are the only one who has shown reason with his comment... thank you jare

Demdem: Infact the powers to appoint the INEC chair and commissioners should be taken away from the executives. That was what the uwais committee recommended. Until then, we can never have an impartial commission.

Thank you.

Mature anϑ intelligent post

D journey has just started

You perish when you don’t know and never mind to know.
Let look at amount gave to Jaga when he came to office, one would like to ask whether there is post assessment and accountability over that quantum figure. You see, in Nigeria the less you look the less you see, Nigeria government has blindfolded many Nigerians and as a result people can't reason and judge the government undiluted.
Buhari by nature is at the peak, and whatever he's doing now is for the benefit of you and i so that we don't end up regretting why we are born to this country bless with all resources but a curse for the nation due to rigid and unbridle corruption. If Buhari say something, give it deep check and see how it can benefit the nation not your selfish interest.

jas_o: You perish when you don’t know and never mind to know.
Let look at amount gave to Jaga when he came to office, one would like to ask whether there is post assessment and accountability over that quantum figure. You see, in Nigeria the less you look the less you see, Nigeria government has blindfolded many Nigerians and as a result people can't reason and judge the government undiluted.
Buhari by nature is at the peak, and whatever he's doing now is for the benefit of you and i so that we don't end up regretting why we are born to this country bless with all resources but a curse for the nation due to rigid and unbridle corruption. If Buhari say something, give it deep check and see how it can benefit the nation not your selfish interest.

yes, there has to be accountability, however I've not seen any accusation of misappropriation on Jega. I will only begin to listen to Buhari once he drops this obsession to be president and support someone else younger to make the changes.