In spite of assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan that he would not remove Attahiru Jega, the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC) senators have raised alarm, saying there is an alleged plan by the presidency to sack the electoral body’s chief next week. The plot, which they alleged is under the guise of “pre-retirement leave”, is to ensure, according to them, that Jega does not preside over the rescheduled elections slated for March 28 and April 11, respectively.
Speaking at a presidential media chat, recently, the president had dismissed media reports that he was hell bent on sacking the INEC boss.
Relying on a “credible source”, the senators in the main opposition APC said they would oppose what they termed “back door removal” of the INEC boss without recourse to the National Assembly.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday on behalf of APC Senate Caucus, George Akume, Senate minority leader, said any attempt to remove the INEC boss is “criminal, illegal and unconstitutional”.
Citing a circular from the office of the head of service of the federation dated August 11, 2010, where similar clarification was made, Akume said only career civil servants can be made to proceed on pre-retirement leave.
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He explained that the circular with reference number HCSF/CMO/1772/T1/11, a copy of which was made available to BusinessDay, was referring to clarifications on pre-retirement leave, which is only applicable to tenured officers who are career civil servants.
The senators said anyone who had spent 35 years in service or had attained 60 years of age is bound to disengage officially from the service, adding that Jega is not guided by civil service rules.
The tenure of the INEC chairman expires in June this year. When asked if he would resign if forced to proceed on terminal leave, he told a reporter at the postponement press conference that “when I get to that bridge, I will cross it.”
The alleged plot to remove Jega had assumed a different dimension some weeks ago when the director general, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, alleged that Jega held secret meetings with APC leaders in Dubai.
But Akume argued that the offence against the chairman was his readiness to conduct the polls when the Peoples Democratic Party-controlled Federal Government was not prepared.
He insisted that using the issue of card readers to discredit Jega will not work because the National Assembly appropriated money for that purpose and the sensitive items had been acquired.
Meanwhile, Muhammadu Buhari, the APC presidential candidate in the rescheduled March 28 poll, on Monday said the opposition will take the government to court if the election commission chief is forced out.
“It is in our collective interest that the postponed elections will be held on the scheduled date, that they should be free and fair, and that their outcome should be respected by all parties,” Buhari said in a speech at Chatham House, London.
“Any form of extensions under whatever guise is unconstitutional and will not be tolerated,” he said.
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