The All Progressives Congress (APC) senators caucus in the national assembly said that it has information that the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, will be directed to proceed on terminal leave next week.
Speaking at a press conference at the national assembly complex in Abuja on Thursday, senate minority leader and former governor of Benue state, George Akume who represents Benue west, said the head of service would direct Jega to proceed on terminal leave next week.
The senators condemned the attempt to remove the INEC chairman under any guise, saying his removal would be tantamount to “subversion of the system”.
“We have received information that next week Jega will be served a letter from the head of service directing him to proceed on terminal leave. We wonder why the government wants to tamper with the current arrangement of INEC,” Akume said, adding that “Only dishonest politicians fear Jega as chairman of INEC,”
The APC senators argued that Jega is not a civil servant but a political appointee whose fate is governed by the constitution, and as a result not subject to civil service rules.
They alleged that the government had foisted the shifting of the elections on Nigerians, but now wants to get rid of Jega so as to install a “pliant and spineless” person who would do its bidding for sinister reasons.
“We want elections that are credible. We oppose Jega’s removal by the back door. On a daily basis, Jega is being attacked. We condemn what the government wants to do.
“This is the road to Golgotha. I wonder why they want to destroy this country,” Akume said.
Follow Us