ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Presidency has debunked the rumour gaining ground in some online and social media that the beleaguered Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has been sacked by the Federal Government.
The Director of Special Duties, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to the President, Col. Bello Fadile (rtd.), citing security concern on Tuesday, warned politicians spreading falsehood capable of inciting violence to desist from doing so.
Fadile said that the response was as a result of barrage of calls from various stakeholders across the country and international community to ascertain the true nature of things.
He described the rumoured sack as an outright falsehood and mischievous propaganda, allegedly engineered by some forces within the main opposition All Progressive Congress (APC).
According to him, “the rumoured sack of Jega is not from the Presidency but part of the propaganda by the opposition to soil the good name of the President, to discredit the government and cause trouble”.
He noted that the current administration is law a abiding government that “follows the constitution in the discharge of its duties including the Chairman of INEC or any member for that matter.
“The questions of leave or no leave, the laws are clear about it and the government has nothing to do with that. The man has a job to do and please allow him to do the job without dragging the government into it and the man working under the rule of law”.
“This is the government that has been obeying the rule of law and is not going to abandon its adherence to it. Please they should allow Prof. Attahiru Jega to do his work and stop heating up the polity.
“They should stop fanning the embers of trouble and inciting people into violence”, he urged.
Fadile advised that rather than encouraging Nigerians to come out and collect their PVC to ensure free, fair and credible elections, the parties involved “are busy spreading lies, falsehood and mischievous propaganda that is capable of heating up the polity”.
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He further urged the members of the public, the APC and their supporters who are in the habit of attacking the military and security forces, dragging them into political issues to allow them concentrate on the immediate task of defeating the Boko Haram terrorists.
“They should also give a breather for our security forces to concentrate in their ongoing efforts to destroy the known camp of the Boko Haram terrorists. We should pray for the success of the efforts of our troops in the search and destruction of the terrorists’ known camps”, he added.
Fadile wondered why such rumour should gain ground when there is no corresponding letter from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) announcing the sack.
“Can such a decision be taken without him knowing. Is that possible? Can this happen without any of such letter confirming it from the OSGF. If the opposition are sure let them tender such a letter from the SGF or produce such a letter from the Presidency”, he said.
