INEC denies Jega replacement rumours

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied reports that a replacement has been chosen for its Chairman, Attahiru Jega.

Rumours have been rife that Jega will be forced to proceed on terminal leave on March 1 and will then be replaced by Professor Nazim Olufemi Mimiko, said to be the brother of Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko.

However, an employee of INEC told Pulse via telephone that the reports are false and that there is no truth to them.

“That information is false. No new Chairman has been nominated,” the INEC staff, who chooses to remain anonymous, told Pulse.

Reports have it that the Presidency is shopping for Jega’s replacement and that getting him to postpone the general elections was step one in the plot to unseat him.

The INEC Chairman announced on Saturday, February 7, that the elections, which were originally slated to hold on February 14 and 28, will now hold on March 28 and April 11, 2015.

Also, INEC’s Director of Voter education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi told Leadership Newspaper that Jega would be in charge of conducting the polls in March and April 2015.

“The rumour has been there for a while. And at the last press briefing, Jega addressed the issue of how he would resign. He gave conditions upon which he will resign,” Uzzi said.

“He (Jega) will conduct the polls. It is just like when I hear rumours about resigning my job, I will just concentrate on my job. I am sure that is the same attitude he has to the job,” he added.

The Presidency is reportedly planning to replace Jega with someone who is less independent-minded to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan is re-elected into office.