No Plan To Remove Jega - President Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan has spoken up about the plot to remove the Chairman of The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega.
Speaking on Monday, March, in an interview with Aljazeera, President Jonathan reassured Nigerians and the international community that he has no plan to sack Professor Attahiru Jega, ahead of Nigeria’s general elections slated for March 28 and April 11.
The president reassurance comes just after speculation were raised by the opposition party, The All Progressives Congress that the Federal Government, through the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, is plotting to send Mr. Jega on terminal leave before the elections.
READ ALSO: What We Shall Do If Jonathan Removes Jega
Prof. Jega’s tenure ends in June but there are claims from the opposition party that the President’s administration plans to send him on a three-month pre-disengagement leave before the election.
The president dispelled the allegation saying INEC is a sensitive and important institution and that removing its chairman arbitrarily would spark public outcry.
“Except somebody is insinuating that the Chairman has done something wrong. You cannot change an officer, except the person has done something wrong,” Mr. Jonathan said in response to a question on Mr. Jega.
He continued, “Government, whether at the federal or state level, president or governor, does not wake up and change somebody, especially somebody like the INEC Chairman, except that person has done something wrong.
“INEC is a very sensitive body. For me to change INEC Chairman Nigerians will ask questions. So, you cannot wake up and change INEC Chairman.”
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He added that he had never discussed with “any human being on earth about changing INEC Chairman”.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that reports from last week had it that the federal government have shortlisted four possible candidates to replace the INEC boss.
Source: Legit.ng
