4 Parties Calling For Jega To Proceed On Terminal Leave

Four Nigerian political parties are demanding the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega to proceed on terminal leave, blaming him for exhibiting unprofessionalism and poor judgement.

They also have threatened to pull out of the March 28 and April 11 elections if the INEC, refuses to suspend the use of card readers.

The 4 parties comprise:

• MEGA Progressive Peoples Party
• Peoples Party of Nigeria
• Alliance for Democracy
• Advanced Congress of Democrats

The parties said: “Since Prof Attahiru Jega has shown lack of professionalism and good judgment in his actions so far in the conduct of the 2015 elections and since he has about three months to the end of his tenure as INEC Chairman, we the stakeholders urge him to quietly consider proceeding on terminal leave so that a more competent person can handle the current election process.”

A comment including the calls was signed by the national chairman of MEGA Progressive Peoples Party, Dare Falade; the presidential candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria, Kelvin Alagoa; and the presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Rafiu Salau.

The parties recommended INEC to manually confirm every voter during accreditation process.

The parties said while they are not against a faster and improved way of conducting the elections, but that it should not be used in the general elections.

The new calls — for the removal of INEC chairman — also came hours after the All Progressives Congress accused the Nigerian government of plotting to use some political parties which the APC branded as “satellite” organs of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to seek a fresh shift of elections.

It should be noted that fifteen political parties and five presidential aspirants may pull out of the forthcoming general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11, 2015. The names of the parties are yet to be disclosed.

Meanwhile, INEC yesterday, March 4th, stated that it is not in position to inform when and how their chairman will be removed.