INEC shake-up: Jega pleads with aggrieved directors





Fresh facts have emerged that the marathon meeting held during the week by the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, with the 36 state Resident Electoral Commissioners and some new directors was to calm frayed nerves.

The commission had recently embarked on a massive shake-up in which directorates were downsized from 26 to nine. Most of the departments were affected.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the meeting was at the instance of Jega following a deluge of complaints, and allegations of  marginalisation that trailed the recent reorganisation in INEC.

It was learnt that the meeting was also attended by the heads of departments who had just resumed work.

Among those in attendance were the Director (Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civil Society), Akiola David; Director (Planning and Monitoring), Okechukwu Okezie; Chidi Nwafor and Salama Ibrahim, Director Finance and Accounts.

It was gathered that during the meeting which ended around 7pm, Jega took time to explain that the recent reorganisation exercise was necessary if the commission must record success in the 2015 elections.

A source who pleaded  anonymity said, "The chairman said the restructuring exercise was not targeted at anybody andwas not done with malice. He therefore pleaded with the affected persons to bear with him.

"Apart from the issues of permanent voter card and delimitation of constituencies which dominated Jega's opening remarks at the meeting, the INEC chairman later brought to the front burner the contentious issues.

"Other issues discussed at the secret session included a situation where Gombe, Delta and Bayelsa states did not have administrative secretaries in the new structure

"There was also the case where both a REC and an administrative secretary are from the same state, a development that raised serious suspicions."

Another source who pleaded not to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said the meeting delved into issues that touched on the reorganisation.

Before the meeting held behind closed doors, Jega had told his audience, including journalists, that issues arising from the reorganisation would be discussed.

Jega stated that INEC would issue Nigerians with permanent voter card before the end of 2013 just as it was also set to commence delimitation of constituencies.

He said the project was at its second phase, adding that with the approval of N33.5m by the Federal Executive Council, the voter card would be ready before the end of the year.

According to him, the permanent voter cards would be embossed with security features that would make multiple registrations impossible.

But when contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, denied that the meeting was convened to pacify aggrieved directors.

He said, "Jega did not call a meeting to explain those decisions because those decisions have been taken seven months ago and it wasn't taken by Jega but by the commission.

"The meeting that was held is a quarterly meeting. The commission has decided to be having a quarterly meeting with political parties. It was a routine meeting and during any routine meeting, we look at the programme.

"The RECs are the foot soldiers of INEC in the states and they need to know the programmes of the commission and hold discussions.

"There was no meeting called to apologise for any decision. It was a routine meeting with RECs and for your information, there will be another one in three months' time, there will be another one in six months' time and there will be another one in nine months time."





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