THE fault of a northerner...
What have northerners done that some people get jittery anytime they are appointed to hold some positions?

When Amina Zakari was appointed to serve as acting INEC Chairman, all sort of stories were fabricated and lies told just to tarnish the image of PMB.

Stories like "she is PMB's cousin, niece and distant relation" were bandied around.

Now the council of state has approved the appointment of Prof Mahmud Yakubu as replacement for Prof Attahiru Jega, again the appointment was vehemently criticised and avalanche of lies were told and pyramid of speculations were made.

A sitting Governor came out too to criticise the appointment saying a northerner cannot be president and another Northern INEC chairman and went further to say such a phenomenon has never happened in Nigeria. Now look at the list below and try to make some synchronisation, let us see whether there was a time when we had a President and INEC chairman both from the south.

You will notice that Prof Abel Goubadia and Prof Maurice Iwu both of whom from the south served under Obiano Presidency. For God sake when can we be sincere enough in this country to look at the pedigree and credibility of appointed public office holders rather than where they come from?

When can we start looking at the noble intention behind every appointment by our elected leaders against our perceived and preconceived mischievous intentions.

Let us always give our leaders the benefits of the doubts. Now look at the list below and see for yourself the names of those who served as INEC chairmen since independence and let's see who dominated who?

Again you will notice that out of the 12 persons who served as Chairmen, only 2 are Northerners.

1. Eyo Esua (1960-1966)
2. Michael Ani (1976-1979)
3. Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1983)
4. Eme Awa (1987-1989)
5. Humphrey Nwosu (1989-1993)
6. Prof.Okon Uya (1993-1994)
7 Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994-1998)
8. Ephraim Akpata (1998-1999)
9. Abel Guobadia (2000-2005)
10. Maurice Iwu (2005-2010)
11. Attahiru Jega (2010 - 2015)
12. Mahmood Yakubu (2015 - 20??)

Nothing