Dora Akunyili to be INEC Chairman!

[gogannaka]

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19126:akunyili-to-be-named-inec-chairman&catid=46:lead-stories&Itemid=140

Information and Communications Minister Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili’s name will shortly be forwarded by President Goodluck Jonathan to the Senate for confirmation as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Daily Trust learnt from impeccable sources in Abuja yesterday.
The INEC chairman’s position became vacant two weeks ago, when Professor Maurice Iwu was ordered by the Presidency to proceed on terminal leave preparatory to the expiration of his 5-year tenure next month.

Sources told Daily Trust that President Jonathan worked on a long list of names from all over the country, and was under much pressure from the international community and from local civil society groups to appoint a very credible person as INEC chairman in order to lay the grounds for fulfilling his promise to ensure free and fair elections in the country next year.

However, Daily Trust learnt, a powerful delegation from the South Eastern states met with the president last week and complained that the East has lost and is still losing some key positions in the Federal Government in recent years. They particularly referred to the post of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], and said when Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s tenure was not renewed, the late President Umaru Yar’adua replaced him with a Northerner. They said the same thing must not happen again with the INEC chairmanship.

According to the sources, Dr. Jonathan agreed and assured the delegates that he would nominate the next INEC chairman from the South East. After reviewing several names, he finally settled for Professor Akunyili. The submission of her name to the Senate was delayed in order to allow the issue of the Vice Presidency to be settled first, Daily Trust learnt. With the confirmation of new Vice President Mohamed Namadi Sambo by the two chambers of the National Assembly yesterday, Mrs. Akunyili’s name could be forwarded to the Senate this week or very early next week, sources said.

When our reporter contacted Professor Akunyili last night and asked her to comment on her impending nomination as INEC chairman, she said, “I have no idea. What did I say?” Our reporter said, “You said you have no idea.” The minister said, “Okay, thank you very much. Good night.” A few minutes later, Mrs Akunyili called the reporter and said, “I think it is a rumour. If it is not a rumour, I would have been told.”

Mrs Akunyili is noted for her loyalty to President Goodluck Jonathan. She was the first minister in the old Yar’adua cabinet to sponsor a memo in the Federal Cabinet calling for an investigation into the health of Yar’adua after he had been hospitalised for weeks in Saudi Arabia. She later retreated to Lagos and granted a series of radio, television and newspaper interviews with both local and foreign media, railing against what she called “the cabal” around Yar’adua. After Jonathan dissolved the cabinet in March, she bounced back in the new one and retained her Information and Communications portfolio.
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Speechless.

[Dan-Borno]

impeccable source indeed. 
i am not surprised putting into consideration her track of
record and milestone achievements at the NAFDAC and
good people, great nation which are very clear for all to
see.  her confidence and patriotism to speak the truth
will give her room if appointed to give face lift to the
nation's electoral commission.

congrats in advance - if daily trust's source is really impeccable.

[gogannaka]

Isn't Dora a card carrying member of the PDP?

[ummutameem]

if this is actually true, then i think jonathan is setting himself up for trouble, dora, who i respect for her work in nafdac is a snitch and will always be a snitch, no true sense of loyalty. if it happens can tsakaninsu.
wat i pray for however is if that were d case then i hope she handles inec d way she handled nafdac, it will be fantastic, dat is if she didnt get herself killed first! God help nija

[Dan-Borno]

Mama T, we think from the same direction except that
from now (May 2010 to May 2011) time will be against her or
anyone saddled with the responsibility of managing the
affairs of INEC, especially if it is dora, because the electoral
reform is still staggering and if the old system that is going
to be used, then, dora's hand will be tied down.

whichever way it turns, let this election be a different one
with no super power authority like that of 2003 where atiku
and obasanjo flew from one state to the other giving inec
state chairmen what to do.

[gogannaka]

No one has answered my question.
Being a card carrying member of the PDP there is no way Dora can conduct a free and fair election.
Wannan ai rainin wayo ne.
What is wrong with Prof. Jega or the various other competent,Non PDP members lined up for the Job?

[Dan-Borno]

Haba GGNK? el-rufai was a card carrying member of the peedeepee
when he was the minister of fct and has performed credibly likewise
other political office holders who are principled and the interest of
the nation comes first before political party.

[gogannaka]

DB
the two portfolios are not even comparable.
INEC has to do with organising elections hotly contested by various political parties including the one which the head of the organising body belongs to.
There is no way there won't be bias.
Her involvement in partisan politics has simply disqualified her.

[ummutameem]

@ggnk, im still a toddler when it comes to politics, but i would think if there is a conflict of interest, she can choose one or the other, cant she drop ha membership of pdp? she ll certainly be more useful in inec than pdp

[gogannaka]

Haba UmmuT,when she has wined and dined with the people that made her what she is today how do you expect her not to make sure they retain power so that she retain her status.

Ai once a PDP member,always a PDP member.

[Muhsin]

Salam,

Gaskiya GGNK have come up with a cogent argument; I actually never thought of her (Dora's) being a bona fide PDP member is a problem until you explained it. I never even thought or rather viewed her (and other ministers, as well) as automatically PDP's members. Naive of me.

And, for that reason, alone, Dora does not qualify to become INEC Chairman. No way unless if she can publically announce her dismemberment from PDP to the world. Amma hakan ma, as says GGNK, shall not help any matter out because "once a PDP member,always a PDP member.".

Beside I don't bother whoever becomes INEC chairman, for I assuredly Nigeria cannot have free, fair and fully democratic election, at least in its present situation. I hope sometimes in the future, inshaAllah.

[ummutameem]

hmm, now i get it, do u think there is anyone capable of holding dat post in nigeria dat is not a party member(any party)?

[HUSNAA]

GGNK is right, if GJ gives Dora the INEC job, it would be another Ewu all over again. She is very loyal to GJ and its in her own interest also to see that GJ gets a shot at the presidency come 2011. So she might sacrifice all that hard won valor of hers as NAFDAC head in order to achieve this aim. After all Nigerians have a very short memory and approve of malodorous practices in so far as they can get some fiscal benefits out of them. So Akunyili no sooner becomes the bad guy as INEC chief if she ensures that GJ continues in his plum position, than she is acquitted of all ill doings, by no less than the ppl who are opposed to her at the moment.
BTW, I dont think Dora Akunyili is a snitch. I believe she did rightly when she raised the issue of the president's ill health and the sidelining of GJ instead of immediately appointing him as Head of state in the absence of the actual president.  If selfish interests hadnt got in the way when Yar adua was hospitalized, many of the northern heads lolling on the floor of failed ambition would have still been intact, cos GJ wouldnt have had cause to rout out the enemy so to speak in order to put his own henchmen in place.

[Muhsin]

Salam,

Your words are right on the track, Husnaa. The woman is a hard-working and dedicated Nigerian; and her likes in Nigeria are really rarity. But that notwithstanding she's not completely qualified to be INEC Chairperson. Reason(s) already explained.

Has anyone of you heard of Prof. Attahiru Jega, Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano's nomination (as INEC chairman)? I'm wondering if that story is true for I haven't yet seen the news on any media outlet. Any ways let's assume it's true, what do you think of his being the chairman? I personally want him to stay in his present position because he's brought (and is still brining) unprecedented qualitative developmental projects to the university.