•Senate may get nominee’s name Tuesday
By Yusuph Olaniyonu, 06.06.2010

There were indications yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan has decided to name a northerner as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the first time in the history of the country.

Also, three candidates have emerged as the remaining contenders among about 10 names that have been considered over the last one month and one of them is sure to have his name sent to the senate for ratification on Tuesday.

The three top contenders are Mallam Bukhari Bello, former executive secretary of the National Human Rights commission (NHRC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, former president of Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) and Prof. Nuhu Yakub, former vice chancellor of the University of Abuja.

Sources in the presidency confirmed that Jonathan is keeping close to his chest who among the three men will get the job but that the three names have been shortlisted from a list, which initially included Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Major-General Ishola Williams (rtd), Prof. Dora Akunyili, who is the incumbent Minister of Informa-tion, Col. Abubakar Umar (rtd), former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Justice Alpha Modibbo Belgore, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Justice George Oguntade, retired Justice of the Supreme Court.

Agbakoba was said to have been dropped because of his link with a political party, The Green Party which he registered a few years ago. Major-General Williams was removed from the list because the civil rights and anti-corruption crusader publicly declared that he was not interested in the job. As for Akunyili, she was disqualified because she is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and being a minister in the present administration, it is believed that the opposition parties will not have confidence in any election conducted under her leadership of the electoral commission.

Umar is also believed to have close links with some key players in the political process and that his impartiality will be doubted by the opposition. Ribadu was however disqualified on the grounds that he had not attained the age of 50 years, which is mandatory for the occupant of the post of INEC chairman. Ribadu will be 50 early November and the presidency believe with a general election scheduled for the first or second quarter of next year, no further delay can be entertained in the announcement of a replacement for Prof. Maurice Iwu who has since last month proceeded on terminal leave.

Justice Belgore and Oguntade were dropped on account of age. Both men are over 70 years. Oguntade whose candidacy alongside that of Ribadu initially enjoyed support from President Jonathan was said to have been dropped from the list after some close associates of the President alleged that the respected Judge is particularly close to a former governor.

Yesterday, however, the names of Bello, Jega and Yakub were mentioned to THISDAY by sources in top circles that are highly connected to the nomination process of an INEC chairman.

Though Bello has wide support across board but sources in the Presidential Villa say Jega remains the front-runner.
Bello, from Kebbi State is a lawyer and was educated at the Ahmadu Bello University. He was called to the bar in 1984. He had served as senior registrar in Sokoto Judiciary before transferring to the state ministry of justice where he rose to become director of public prosecution.

He was nominated by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to the Constituent Assembly in Abuja in 1988. As NBA chairman of the Sokoto branch, he was an ally of late president of the bar, Mr. Alao Aka-Bashorun, an indication of his radical bent.

In 1989, he transferred his services to the federal public service as assistant director of legal services with the National Electoral Commission (NEC). He later became director of legal services at the electoral commission where he played a key role in the implementation of the transition programme of the Babangida administration.
Bello’s candidacy enjoy wide support from the international community and the civil society groups.

His performance in the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where he not only pursued even cases against the government with zeal and fairness but also exposed cases of human rights abuses in the country to the international human rights bodies, endear him to the international community which sees him as a fearless and honest man.

The civil society groups also cannot forget his role in the Babangida transition period where as Director of Legal Services of the electoral body he confronted the anti-democratic forces represented by the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) seeking to prevent the June 12, 1993 presidential elections from holding.

Bello served as a legal consultant to the Uwais Electoral Reform Committee based on his progressive and reformist role during his period as Chief Legal officer of the electoral commission at a difficult period in the nation’s history.
He has served in committees of many international organisations. Bello was appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo as Chief Executive Officer of the national Human Rights Commission (NHRC). He was redeployed in 2006 to the federal ministry of justice.

Like Bello, Jega is also a radical leftist. The university lecturer came to limelight when he emerged president of the ASUU in 1988. He is the current Vice Chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano.

He has also served as director, Centre for Democratic Research and Training.
The erudite professor of political science is also a well-published author. Many believe he has proved to be an astute administrator with his handling of the affairs of BUK.

Yakub was born on March 3, 1951 at Okene, Kogi State. He graduated with a first class degree in political science from Bayero University, Kano.

Yakub further attended the University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex in the United Kingdom for his higher degree. He started his academic career in 1981/82 as graduate assistant at the Usman Danfodio University (UDU) where he rose to the rank of a Professor of political science in 1998.

He has held several positions within and outside the university system which include, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UDU chapter, member governing council, UDU, deputy vice chancellor, Administration, secretary, national caretaker committee of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Abuja and member, Independent Policy Group that finalised President Obasanjo's policy thrust in his second tenure. He has attended more than 60 conferences and presented technical committee papers and publications.

He belongs to many professional associations, editorial boards of many journals and a research fellow and consultant to several national and international organisations.