Senators, Reps, INEC chiefs join plot against Jega
March 1, 2015
Written by Yusuf Alli


•Plot to pit commissioners against Jega
•Commission chair summons RECs for evaluation meeting on Wednesday

Some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the National Assembly have launched a bid to pit top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against the commission’s chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega.

It is the latest of alleged moves by the party to destabilise INEC as the nation prepares for the March 28 and April 11 elections.

The plot, The Nation gathered, will see several officials, including commissioners, confront Jega on official matters   with a view to creating a crisis of confidence in the agency, and distracting its attention ahead of the polls.

A meeting to perfect the plan took place recently  at a posh hotel in the Asokoro District of Abuja.

Present at the dead of the night meeting discussion were several influential members of the National Assembly and some INEC officials.

They were said to have reviewed mainly Jega’s ‘uncompromising attitude’ on the use of card readers and the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).

The PDP does not want both to be used during the elections.

It was gathered that some forces in the party got the National Assembly members to meet the INEC officials on how to frustrate Jega.

Some INEC commissioners were card-carrying members of the PDP before their appointment, according to sources.

A source familiar with the development said:  “Some forces are working desperately to break the rank of the commission before the general election. I think some past officials of INEC are part of the plot.

“What they are planning now is to cause disaffection between Jega and his team in order to show that INEC is not ready for the general election.

“If they force Jega out before the poll, the nation will lose because the credibility of the general election would have been lost.”

An INEC director said the meeting was an open secret.

But he said Jega remains unmoved and is focused on conducting free and fair elections.

“We got a phone alert about the said meeting but since Jega has nothing to hide, we did not respond to the move,” the INEC director said.

“What is important is that we are focused on how to conduct free and fair polls.”

The Abuja meeting may have been an alternative to the initial move to sack Jega.

Top members of the PDP including the president’s confidant, Chief Edwin Clark, and the president’s campaign organisation had openly demanded Jega’s sack for allegedly working against the interest of the party and its flag bearer.



The call was roundly condemned across the country.

Only last Thursday, APC senators alleged at a press conference in Abuja that there was a plan by the federal government to send Jega on terminal leave this week even when his tenure will end on June 30.

Asked about government’s position on Jega’s fate last Friday, the acting Minister of Information, Edem Duke, only said Jega’s exit will “take its natural course.”

However, an INEC national commissioner told The Nation that contrary to the permutations of the anti-Jega forces, his tenure will end on June 30, 2015.

He said Jega is not contemplating going on terminal leave because he is not a career civil servant who is about retiring from public service.

“There is so much ignorance about the exit date of Jega. He is expected to leave office on June 30 and he will complete his tenure two months after the general election.

“ Jega is also not contemplating going on any terminal leave because this is not an assignment you retire from. The position of INEC chairman is that it will be irresponsible of him to abandon his duties for a strange terminal leave which he is not supposed to enjoy any way.

“Jega is not even drawing his salary from INEC in order to remain impartial and avoid being compromised.”

He said there is need to explain these perspectives to enable Nigerians appreciate the fact that some people are just out to distract INEC from its electoral duties.

Meanwhile, INEC chairman has summoned all the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in the 36 states and the FCT for a meeting to evaluate the preparation for the general election.

The meeting might review the distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards(PVCs), the status of the training of ad hoc staff for  the use of Card Readers and logistics for the election.

It was learnt that Jega invited the RECs for a session on Wednesday in order to get an update on the preparation for the poll.

INEC has about 27 days to put everything in shape. This is why Jega is meeting with his team to avoid any slip.

Any REC with unresolved challenges can now feel free to draw the attention of the commission to these problems before the D-Day.

A document released by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Robert Idowu, said the commission  might conduct mock election to test-run the card readers at least two states in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country.

The document said: “The Card Reader units have been broadly subjected to simulation Quality Assurance, Integrity and Functionality tests and INEC has full confidence in their performance for election purposes.

“The device has also been subjected to Performance and Conformance Test, both locally and in Texas, United States laboratories by the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Research Centre and found to be of the highest quality grade. Besides all these, and with additional time resulting from the rescheduling of the 2015 general elections, the Commission has directed that Stress Test be conducted on the Card Reader device in mock election scenarios – two states in each of the six geo-political zones – ahead of the new election dates.”

The commission is poised to  release the list of the 12 states for the  mock election on or before Wednesday.

source: http://thenationonlineng.net/new/polls-pdp-senators-reps-in-secret-meeting-with-inec-chiefs/

Fear fear

Why is there so much noise about JEGA's terminal leave. The guy has served his tenure well, let him retire in peace.

He is not the first person to go on retirement or terminal leave.

Why is APC and their members in the national assembly making it an issue?

Meanwhile, APC have been shouting change! Change!!

And INEC changes date for general election

Nigerian military changed their strategies

Oil price is changing downwards

Exchange rate is changing downwards

Osinbajo could not take care of his parents

APC lies and propaganda is changing... increasing

Buhari now has cancer of the "konji"


APC... "change"

Jonathan should not even try it. It'll finish him totally, even the international community will condemn him and he'll lose the little credibility he has left.

By there words you shall know them, no weapon fashion against Apc and it goons shall prosper

#welcome to march for change
#marching for change
#things will change
#sai GMB/PYO

We won't force him out of office, d law will do dat for us!

princealbashir:
Jonathan should not even try it. It'll finish him totally, even the international community will condemn him and he'll lose the little credibility he has left.

you said the same thing when he was planning to remove Sanusi.

so how far today?

jega must go, buhari will die waiting to get aso rock

princealbashir:
Jonathan should not even try it. It'll finish him totally, even the international community will condemn him and he'll lose the little credibility he has left.

Mumu u and Amaechi threatened fire if GEJ postponed the election...elections has been postponed what happened...nothing u are still busy typing rubbish from ur Chinese phone

sosanova:

Mumu u and Amaechi threatened fire if GEJ postponed the election...elections has been postponed what happened...nothing u are still busy typing rubbish from ur Chinese phone

Brother why the attack? Why you take am personal? You be Jonathan pikin?

Apc party of liars

Balkan:
you said the same thing when he was planning to remove Sanusi.

so how far today?

Let's wait and see!

Let GEJ remove him

Its better GEJ goes out of Aso villa in disgrace than the polls


He'll be dragged by the belt half unclad like gbagbo was


Can't wait to see that



#SaiBabaBuhari

Does it mean if Jega dies today,elections will not hold?
Jega isn't even a career INEC staff,he was appointed just 5 yrs ago,why do ppl now think he is indispensable?
If Maurice Iwu,former CJN Dahiru Musdapher,Former IG Abubakar,justice Salami all went on terminal leave,why shld Jega's b different.
I ask again,if Jega were to die,would d elections not hold?

They are no longer ashamed of telling the whole world they are hell bent on rigging.

This party is disgusting.

Like GEJ like his godfather OBJ,history will always repeat it self.

It didnt end well with OBJ's demonic third term agenda bid.He even went as far as bribing the reps with N50,000,000,at the end,he was soundly rejected and disgraced out of the office by the populace.

It wont end well with GEJ's evil agenda.

There is a reason his been likened to Gbagbo

JEGA MUST GO,

Apc
1 week, 1 lie

Why is PDP not making fuss about the military stuff

This pple will not stop disgracing demself

princealbashir:
Jonathan should not even try it. It'll finish him totally, even the international community will condemn him and he'll lose the little credibility he has left.

Who and what is this over vaunted "international community" Everytime, you guys keep yapping about "international community" this, "international community" that. . Is this "international community" a name of a person place or thing?? International community this, international community that, is this international abunna the name of some global headmazter, principal or class prefect?? Will Mr international community flog us if we fall out of line?? Who the heck are these ubiquitous mr and mrs international community!? Somebody help me . .

All these noise is on how to influence Election in favour or against.
Leave Jega alone, he is not part of anyone's problem or failure. It only a person with skeleton in his/her cupboard that is often afraid.
We should please prove to the world that we are Giants of Africa in corruption or development, we all know it best.

Why is the PDP bent on removing Jega?