Jega out, Buhari names Zakari as acting INEC boss

Prof. Attahiru Jega on Tuesday bowed out of office as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Consequently, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari, as the acting chairman of INEC.

Zakari, the first female to occupy the position albeit in an acting capacity, was until Tuesday, a National Electoral Commissioner at INEC.

A statement issued by the Director Communications in the Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Haruna Imrana, on behalf of the HoS, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, confirmed the appointment.

Kifasi said Zakari’s appointment was with immediate effect and would subsist from June 30, 2015 until the appointment of a substantive chairman.

Jega was appointed the chairman of the commission by former President Goodluck Jonathan on June 30, 2010.

He conducted two elections in 2011 and 2015.

Speaking briefly at the end of the closed-door handing over ceremony at the commission in Abuja, Jega said the future of the country and commission was bright.

He said he was grateful to God and the country for the opportunity to serve.

He said, “We feel great; we thank God Almighty for the opportunity to serve the country. The future is bright for the commission and the country.”

Jega said, “In whatever we have achieved, we should keep it up and do more”, adding that there was still a lot to be done.

Jega left the commission with six national commissioners whose tenure also expired on Tuesday.

The other six national commissioners who left with him on Tuesday were Col. M.K. Hammanga (retd.), Adamawa State, (North-East); Dr. Ishmael Igbani, Rivers State, (South-South); Prof. Lai Olurode, Osun State, (South-West); Dame Gladys Nwafor, Abia State, (South-East); Mrs. Thelma Amata Iremiren, Delta State, (South-South); and Dr. Nuru Yakubu, Yobe State, (North-East).

Four other national commissioners would leave the commission in July and August this year. These include Dr. Abdulkadir Oniyangi, Kwara State (North-Central) whose tenure will expire on July 21; Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari, Jigawa State (North-West) whose tenure will also expire on July 21; Dr. Chris Iyimoga, Nasarawa State (North-Central); whose tenure will expire on August 11; and Wali, Sokoto State (North-West) whose tenure will also expire on August 11, 2015.