Jega and 6 INEC Commissioners bow out office by June 30th

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega‎ will bow out of office next week Tuesday.

Though, he is eligible for reappointment, Jega was reported to have said he would not be interested to serve again.

Also going with him are six National Commissioners who were appointed at the same time with him.
‎The National Commissioners whose tenure of office will expire that same day with the INEC Chairman are Col. M.K. Hammanga (rtd), Adamawa State, (North East); Dr Ishmael Jikiri Igbani, Rivers State, (South South); Prof. Lai Olurode, Osun state, (South West); Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor, Abia State, (South East); Mrs Thelma Amata Iremiren, Delta State, (South South) and Engr. Dr. Nuru A. Yakubu, Yobe State, (North East).

They were sworn into office on June 30, 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The tenure of four other National Commissioners will expire in July and August this year. Dr. Abdulkadir S. Oniyangi, Kwara State, (North Central) and Mrs Amina Bala Zakari, Jigawa State, (North West) will leave office on July 21 while Dr. Chris O. Iyimoga, Nasarawa State, (North Central)‎ and Ambassador Mohammed Ahmad Wali, Sokoto State, (North West)‎ will bow out of service on August 11. The tenure of 16 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) has already expired and they have since left office.

Those whose tenures have expired are Ahmad Makama (Bauchi); Haliru A. Tambuwal (Sokoto); Abdullahi Umar Danyaya, (Niger); Abubakar U.G. Wara (Kebbi); Mr. Mike Igini (Delta); Prof. Selina Omagha Oko (Ebonyi); Hussaini Ahmed Mahuta (Katsina); Dr. A.L. Ogunmola (Oyo); Alhaji Ibrahim Zarewa (Kano); Prof. Tukur Sa’ad (Adamawa); Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo (Kogi); Kassim Gana Gaidam (Yobe); Mr. Timothy Ibitoye (Osun); Amb. Dr. Rufus Akeju (Lagos); Prof. C.E. Onukaogu (Abia); and Ibrahim Bagobiri Marafa (Zamfara).

INEC in a statement Thursday, however, said Jega’s retirement ‎and that of other commissioners will not affect the operations of the commission, arguing that those left at the commission can form a quorum.
The commission based its reason on section 159 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which states that not less than one-third of the total number of members shall form a quorum during meeting.

INEC is composed of 12 National Commissioners and 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to appoint their replacement before the Kogi State gubernatorial election, which comes later this year.