INEC: Jega’s Nomination Excites NLC

by sahara reporters
Wednesday, 09 June 2010 20:45


The Nigeria Labour Congress has expressed delight over the nomination of Professor Attahiru Jega to the chairmanship of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In a statement, it said Jega “possesses the requisite competence, integrity and patriotism” for the job, in addition to having been a member of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee that made critical recommendations most Nigerians believe will ensure credible elections should they be implemented. Noting that the battle to establish a credible electoral body has only just begun, the NLC expressed preference for the core recommendations of the Uwais panel in terms of their potential to insulate the chairman of INEC from political manipulation in the future.
The NLC also pointed out that while it would give the Jega leadership of INEC the support it needs to succeed, it will speak out at any time the leadership works against the public interest.

Full text of the statement is as follows:
Jega’s Appointment Commendable
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is delighted by the nomination yesterday, June 8, 2010 of Professor Attahiru Jega as Chairman designate of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Our excitement derives from the fact that apart from the fact that Prof Jega possesses the requisite competence, integrity and patriotism, he was a member of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee that made very far-reaching recommendations that majority of Nigerians believe will ensure that their votes will count if implemented. It is therefore perfect wisdom to appoint him as he is conversant with the core sentiments of the Committee’s Report. Thirdly, the appointment pleases us because of Prof Jega’s character, particularly in distinguishing himself in whatever positions of trust he had held but which has not stopped him from being progressively active and forthright even against government.

While we commend President Goodluck Jonathan for the appointment, we would like to, however, quickly state that the battle to put in place a credible INEC is not over yet. It has, in fact, just begun!

The NLC still strongly believes that this commendable appointment does not vitiate the logic of the core recommendations of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee. As altruistic as President Jonathan’s nomination is, we are particularly still of the strong opinion that the process for the appointment of INEC chair as recommended by the Committee is preferably more in the public interest because of its capacity to insulate the appointment to this very important position from manipulation in the future especially by an ambitious president whose intentions may be anything but patriotic.

Apart from this, we strongly believe that the question of financial autonomy of INEC is highly imperative at this time so that the new INEC chair would hit the ground running given the enormous responsibilities awaiting him especially in cleaning up the messed-up electoral register and other critical logistics that will ensure a smooth general election in 2011. Secondly, it is highly imperative that Prof Jega gets a team that is competent, upright and non-partisan so as not to sabotage any effort at rebuilding an INEC that is genuinely independent.

Although we will strive to give the new leadership of INEC under Jega every support it needs to accomplish credible elections, we would like to put it on record that the NLC will not hesitate to speak out any moment INEC under Prof Jega is seen to have gone against public interest. We therefore urge him to immediately begin an internal reform or cleansing process in INEC that will position it to face the immediate challenges of holding a credible election in 2011. We believe that there are numerous administrative or leadership challenges in INEC that do not require constitutional or legislative amendments before they are carried out and which are very crucial to credible elections. We urge Prof Jega to begin to do those things now!

We equally urge him to, in appreciation of the popular jubilation and goodwill that followed his appointment, endeavour to carry along every stakeholder in democratic governance, both locally and internationally, especially all true advocates of free and fair election.

Finally, we wish to call on the Senate to expedite the process for the ratification of the appointment given the enormous electoral challenges awaiting him and in view of the very short time before the next general elections. We also call on all Nigerians to give their support to the new INEC and be alive to their political and civic responsibilities as we approach 2011 polls.