Buhari drops Wali, appoints Amina Zakari acting INEC Chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mrs Amina Bala Zakari as the acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the conclusion of the term of office of Prof. Attahiru Jega on Tuesday.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Haruna Imrana, Director of Communications for the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

According to the statement, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Barr. Danladi Kifasi, who conveyed the appointment in a letter, said it is with effect from June 30, 2015 until the appointment of a substantive chairman. Zakari is presently a National Electoral Commissioner at INEC.

However, before Zakari’s appointment, Jega had already handed over to a National Commissioner, Mohammed Wali, from Sokoto State.

Jega had yesterday bowed out of office after five years at the helm of the electoral body.

At a brief ceremony at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, Jega handed over to a National Commissioner, Mohammed Wali, from Sokoto State, who becomes acting chairman of the commission at the Abuja headquarters of the electoral body.

Six National Commissioners- M.K. Hammanga, Adamawa State, North East; Ishmael Igbani, Rivers State, South South; Lai Olurode, Osun State, South West; Gladys Nwafor, Abia State, South East; Thelma Iremiren, Delta State, South South and Nuru Yakubu, Yobe State, North East also quit the commission alongside Jega due to the expiration of their tenures.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after he bowed out of the commission, Jega expressed appreciation for the opportunity given to him and other INEC management staff to serve the country.

“We feel great; we thank God Almighty for the opportunity to serve the country. The future is bright for the commission and the country,” he said.

The secretary of the commission, Mrs Augusta Ogakwu, told newsmen that Jega handed over to Wali pending the appointment of a new chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Meanwhile, a daily bulletin published by the commission said that Wali, representing Sokoto State (North West) in the commission, would end his tenure on August 11.

Jega was appointed chairman of INEC in 2010.

Though he is entitled to a renewal of his appointment for another five years, Jega had immediately after the 2015 general elections adjudged to be one of the most credible conducted in the country, indicated that he is not ready to stay a day longer as head of the electoral body.

Jega, a former vice-chancellor of the Bayero University Kano (BUK) and a former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had indicated that he would be returning to the classroom after leaving INEC.

The 2011 general elections, the first conducted by Jega, were also generally acknowledged to be better than the preceding ones.

The acting INEC chairman obtained his first degree from Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and an MBA from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira.

Wali was elected into the Senate in 1999 and was appointed to committees on selection, Senate services, public accounts, defence and federal character and also served as the Senate leader between June 1999 and November 1999.

He contested the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003 and was appointed minister for the national planning commission (NPC) and later deputy chairman in 2007.

He has also served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Morocco.

Wali’s tenure as commissioner and as acting chairman will end on August 11, 2015 if President Buhari has not appointed a substantive chairman for the commission before then.