INEC boss: Justice Uwais faults Jega’s appointment

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Category: Opinions/Interviews
Published on Sunday, 13 June 2010 22:37
Written by Admin
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The former Chief Justice of Nigeria and chairman of Electoral Reform Committee, Justice Muhammadu Uwais (rtd) on Saturday, faulted the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega as the new Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This came just as an Abuja muslim cleric, Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Academy, Imam Adeyemi Fuad, called for caution on whether President Goodluck Jonathan should contest the coming 2011 elections, saying Jonathan’s participation in the election should be judged by his performance.

Both Justice Uwais and Imam Fuad spoke to journalists in Abuja at the 8th Executive Walimatul-Qur’an and 7th Nigerian Muslim Merit award presentation organised by Al-Habibiyyah Academy, Abuja.

According to the former CJN, “I am happy for Professor Jega, for being nominated to be the chairman of INEC, I know him personally since we work together on the electoral reform committee, but the method by which he is appointed is not strictly in accordance with the recommendations of the electoral reform committee.

“As you know, what the electoral reform committee recommended is that the National Judicial Council will nominate three persons that it considers suitable for appointment as INEC chairman and those three names to be forwarded to the National Council of State, then the council of state will select one name and forward same to the senate for confirmation.

“And you know what the national assembly has so far recommended is that the old practice of the president nominating who shall be the chairman and the members of the commission should be done by the president.”

The former CJN also expressed his displeasure over non implementation of his committee’s recommendation saying, “our recommendations are what we think is good for this country and if it is altered how do you expect me to be satisfied”.

Justice Uwais however shunned journalists question on whether Jonathan should contest the 2011 elections, but Imam Fuad said Nigerians can set agenda for the president and judge him by the performance.

He said, “leadership is about service and also leadership is about making life of the people better, and the Nigeria’s constitution says the essence of leadership is to guarantee the welfare of citizens of this country, let us give this Mr president chance to prove himself, let us give him 4 to 5 months from today and judge him by his performance.