13 parties supports new INEC boss appointment, criticise PDP

Firstclass newsline gathered that the Acting National Chairman of the
Independent National Electoral Commission, Mrs. Amina Zakari, has said
she accepted her appointment with humility.
She told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that she would do her job
diligently and that the commission would continue to work hard with
the aim of delivering on its assignments.
Zakari said that her tenure should be seen as the continuation of that
of the former Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega.
Jega left the commission on Tuesday after the expiration of his
five-year tenure.
The new acting chairman of the commission said, "I accept my
appointment with humility and with dedication to serve. I believe it
is just a continuation of what the former Chairman, Prof. Attahiru
Jega, has started which has been at a high level and there shouldn't
be any problem.
"I have been part of the process. I have known the problems,
challenges and I have seen the successes. What is remaining is for us
to build on the successes and try to tackle the outstanding
challenges.
"I must say a lot has been done to improve the electoral processes in
Nigeria through the past Chairman, Prof. Jega, and a lot more needs to
be done."
Zakari was full of praises for Jega, saying that the former university
don had done the bulk of the job needed to be done in the commission.
She said, "I must say it is like trying to reach an equilibrium
because the bulk of the work has been done by the former Chairman,
Prof. Jega, to bring the quality of changes to election management to
a higher level.
"So, all we need to do is to put all hands on deck to improve further
on what he has done and improve on the good practices he has left
behind.
"Basically, with the cooperation of all, and the support of members of
staff and the people of Nigeria, we should be able to do it pending
when a new commission is put in place."
On the challenges ahead of her, she said challenges could not be
envisaged "because they come as the need arises," but added that they
would be tackled as they come.
She said that the commission needed to improve where it seemed to have
failed or erred during the last elections.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties, the
umbrella organisation for 13 registered political parties in Nigeria,
has condemned what it calls "the dangerous, irresponsible and inciting
statement issued by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on the
appointment of Zakari."
Her appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari had drawn opprobrium
from Chief Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday and signed by the Chairman
of the Coalition and National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Movement,
Mallam Bashir Ibrahim, the COP3 decried what it described as "the
dangerous precedent, whereby a political party is trying to decide for
the country who becomes the INEC chairman."
The function which, it said, is constitutionally reserved for the
President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria and the National Assembly.
In reference to the statement made in Abuja on Wednesday by Metuh,
rejecting the appointment of Zakari, the coalition warned that "any
interference by political parties in the appointment of INEC officials
is tantamount to politicising the process and the commission itself,
which is capable of creating dangerous schism in the commission and
generating unnecessary tension in the country."
The statement added, "INEC is an independent election management body
which must be insulated from politics and irresponsible politicking.
"The power of and procedure for the appointment of the chairman of
INEC is a constitutional matter and not subject of bargaining by
political parties, especially those who are yet to come to terms with
the fact that Nigeria is on a very strong change trajectory. INEC is
also a regulator of political parties.
"It is an anomaly for the parties which the commission is supposed to
regulate to dictate who becomes the commission's chairman. Obviously,
for some parties, it is still midnight."
Ibrahim recalled that Zakari was not appointed to the commission by
Buhari in 2015, but that she was appointed as INEC National
Commissioner by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 and by the
time she was appointed acting INEC Chairman, she had the distinction
of being the most senior INEC National Commissioner in terms of the
time she had served.
Firstclassnewsline.net