ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) senators’ caucus on Thursday acknowledged President Goodluck Jonathan’s power to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, from office.
Led by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, the senators said that such removal would follow due process, if the President really wanted to do so.
Akume said that the group heard from a reliable source that the Head of Service would direct Jega to proceed on his pre-retirement leave next week.
“We have received information from a very credible source that next week, the Chairman of INEC would be given a letter from the office of the Head of the Civil Service directing him to proceed on terminal leave,” Akume said.
Akume also alleged that the Federal Government was trying to use a circular from the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation dated August 11, 2010 to place Jega on compulsory pre-retirement leave.
“Whether the letter emanated from the HOS office or the Secretary to the Government of the [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
Federation (SGF), it does not make sense. Even if we go by the terms of the civil service circular of the 11th of August, 2010, it is not applicable whatsoever to the INEC chairman,” he added.
Akume quoted the circular with reference number HCSF/CMO/1772/TI/11, but argued that it is only applicable to tenured officers, who are career civil servants.
“Anyone, who has spent 30 years in service or has attained 60 years of age is bound to disengage officially from the service, which does not apply to Jega. We want a credible election, but in a situation where we are being informed that because the postponement of the election attracted no reaction from the people, Jega could be removed.
“You can not start a game, which is about to end, and suddenly you want to change the goal post. You don’t want a referee that is fair to all so as to subvert the whole system for sinister or personal purposes.
“We will continue to say no to impunity. We will continue to say no to any attempt to undermine the credibility of the forthcoming election. We, therefore, want to appeal to Nigerians to be steadfast, to keep watch so that their labour will not be in vain. If Ghana and other countries got it right, Nigeria can also get it right,” he said.
Akume submitted that President Goodluck Jonathan reserved the right to remove Jega.
“Section 157(1) clearly states that the President can only remove Jega with the vote of 2/3 majority of all senators,” he added.
Section 157(1) of the Constitution reads: “…a person holding any of the offices to which this section applies may only be removed from that office by the president acting on an address supported by two-third majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office”.
