NIGERIA’s polity is currently heating up ahead the reschedule March 28 and April 11 general election against the original dates of February 14 and 28 polls.
The current heat in the polity is not unconnected with the rumoured termination, removal or sack of the head of the electoral umpire, Professor Attahiru Jega , following suspected anomalies and compromise with the opposition political parties particularly the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
The conception that brought about the heat in the polity came after the initial noise, fears and disturbances emanating from the shift in or postponement of the election date from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11.
Activities of the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega has of late be summed up as not only been awry, controlled but also masterminded by the opposition political parties as well as few northerners who claims to be born to rule and are also inquisitive to take powers at all costs.
According to sources, Prof. Jega’s dancing steps has been under surveillance long time ago, and posited that the INEC boss was working out all negative antics to shame the incumbent president by disgracing him out of office for ethnicity seasons.
While the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had raised alarm over the Jega’s purported evil antics, the opposition APC, was singing the loud praise of the INEC chairman. This, the ruling PDP, without mincing words accused the electoral umpire of being compromised.
Wao, up till date the INEC boss is yet to prove his innocence over allegation by the ruling PDP, rather the opposition has become Prof.Jega’s his spokes person(s),wants him to continue in office and accusing Nigeria’s President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of plotting to sack the INEC boss.
But, in several for a the President had personally debunked such allegation of the sack of the INEC boss as un thought for and not been contemplated; while others loyal to Mr. President reasoned that whosoever is due for retirement or end of his service should be shown the way out to pave ways for others.
As the two major political parties tread words over the alleged sack of the INEC boss, other political parties as well as several organizations have called for the sack of the head of the electoral umpire.
Questions on the lips of Nigerians are; is it the time to plunge Nigeria into anarchy or look on faces to jeopardize the cooperate co existence of the country rather than do the expedient to save the country from total collapse as predicted by the United State of America?
Again, is Mr. President of the federal Republic of Nigeria who appoints, lacks the power to dismiss or sack whoever he appointed, not minding whatever excuses that may be given?
Furthermore, does the laws that established the office Prof. Jega currently occupy also enable or empower him to be partisan or ethnicity driven?
Another question is does the laws guiding the office of the INEC chairman forbids him from defending himself or empower political parties to speak on his behalf? The INEC boss only said during a press briefing that he has not done what would call for his resignation or sack otherwise he would have vacate office.
With due permission, it is a fact that no thief has ever accepted stealing anything even when caught in the act. Such people proceeds to even swear to an oath with the Holy Bible or Koran in the court of law for innocence over such act. Thus, with the alleged romance of the INEC boss with political parties as well as the distribution of PVC’s before the February shifted elected poll, it could be deduce that the INEC boss actually deserves sack or he resigns his appointment
Though Prof. Attahiru Jega refused to properly and or officially addressed the issues of or not meeting with some prominent Northerners and top APC officials in far away Dubai, as posited by the PDP, the fact remain that something ought to be done for the country’s survival before, during and after the 2015 general election billed for the coming days.
One thing is paramount, and that is Nigeria cannot die for an individual or group of individuals to survive. Of-course, if Nigeria dies or is no more, certainly no one would live, say there would be no Nigerian since Nigeria probably does not exist in that circumstance. But, it is possible for an individual to be ignored for the existence of the country rather than allowing the interest of few to prevail in an obvious circumstance.
Because Nigeria cannot be sacrificed on the altar of greediness, desperation, ethnicity, hatred and evil gang up; there were agitations from several quarters calling for the sack of the INEC boss, Prof. Attahiru Jega.
The Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose who described the outbursts of the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the possible sack of Prof.Jega as “mere comedy”, said “President Goodluck Jonathan sack Jega if he wishes and if he does, heaven will not fall”.
The governor urged the APC to desist from acting as if Nigeria belongs to the party and said that “by turning themselves into advocates and defenders of the INEC boss, the APC and its agents have shown that they have a deal with Jega to manipulate the elections and that the deal will be frustrated if he is asked to leave office.”
Fayose, further believed Jega is Partisan when he said “by his actions and utterances, Jega had already demonstrated his bias in support of the APC. For instance, how can Jega explain the 80 percent distribution of permanent voters card,PVC, in Boko Haram ravaged Borno and Yobe states while less than 40 percent distributed in Lagos as at February 7th that the election was postponed?”
To say the least, it is worrisome that the crisis ravaged states without people had gotten enough voters card that the peaceful states. The INEC boss or his agents till date have not giving any explanation for such acts of compromise which suggests high level of fraud, incompetence, corruption and irresponsibility and rather than coming bold to state their failed and exposed deal, it is the opposition APC, that volunteered to be solicitor, advocates or spokes person, this is incredible, hence a call for immediate dismissal of Prof. Jega.
If Prof. Jega is sacked, he would rather not close the road as others like Maurice Iwu had gone through such road before his ascension.
Also joining the call for the sack of Prof. Jega is the Movement for the Actualization of the sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
Leader of the movement Chief Ralph Uwazurike who demanded Jega’s resignation claimed the country would be engulfed in crisis if Jega insisted on conducting the March 28 and April 11 election posited that Jega was bent on conducting a kangaroo election where he intends to pronounce his preferred candidate winner of the poll.
The MASSOB leader also reasoned that Jega’s alleged meeting with unnamed governors in Dubai, was enough ground for him to resign and warned that the South- East and South- South would boycott the elections if Jega insisted on continuing in office.
It is however, noted that despite allegations of compromise against INEC, the commission which did not bother to address the nation is pretentiously said to be working harder to conduct the election, saying it won’t be distracted by the rumours of its chairman’s removal.
The sack agitation which began like the 4x400m invitation relay race and gaining momentum was anchor legged by the South-South/ South-East Eminent Leaders Forum led by the duo of former federal commissioner of information, Chief Edwin K. Clark and Chief Ralph Uwa zurike.
The latest is coming from Presidential candidates of over four political parties which express fears of Jega’s sincerity and genuine intention over the conduct of the upcoming polls.
Plus or minus, about 14 days is the countdown to the March 28 presidential and National Assembly polls. But agitation for the removal of the INEC chairman thickens, it is the opinion of Issues Abattoir that, “the alternative “to Jega’s sack or the peaceful co-existence of Nigeria if indeed there is any be considered.
Nonetheless, if Jega’s removal would promote peaceful coexistence of Nigeria, enhance credible, free, equitable and fair election, then it is suggested that nothing should delay him further than this week, provided such removal should be done in accordance with prescribed rules and as approved by the President who appointed him.
However, if his continuous stay in office would undermine Nigeria’s further existence then, the option is left with the leaders who must give the accounts of stewardship after here on earth. Simply put, if Jega should go on with the poll and rid Nigeria off its existence, then let it be, or otherwise le him quit now.
Conclusively, the essential thrust of this all important episode at this crucial moment of Nigeria democracy where greed, intolerance, killing, destruction, blackmail, unhealthy defection and non-appreciation takes the centre stage, is a call on the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the National Assembly to urgently provide the needed solution to the pendulum like crisis situation that stares on Nigeria and Nigerians faces. The time to act is now.
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
