APC Senate Caucus Says FG Plans To Announce Jega's Sack Next Week

Source: thewillnigeria.com

… Says Obanikoro Not Qualified To Be A Minister
BEVERLY HILLS, February 26, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate Caucus, comprising members of the party in the Senate, Thursday, raised the alarm over what it alleged as a fresh plot to sack the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega.

The APC senators, led by the Leader of the opposition at the Senate, Senator George Akume, alleged at a media briefing in Abuja, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government had concluded plans to ask the Head of Service to instruct Jega to proceed on his terminal leave next week in order to stop him from overseeing the rescheduled general elections.

According to Akume, “We have received information from a very credible source that next week, the Chairman of INEC will be given a letter from the office of the Head of the Civil Service directing him to proceed on terminal leave.

“Whether the letter emanates from the HOS office or the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, it does not make sense. Even if we go by the terms of the civil service circular of the 11th of August, 2010, it is not applicable whatsoever to the INEC chairman.”

Speaking further on the alleged plot, Akume faulted the said circular, with reference number HCSF/CMO/1772/TI/11, maintaining that it emphasised pre-retirement leave, which, according to him, is only applicable to career civil servants with specific tenure.

According to Akume, the civil service rule which states that anyone who had spent 30 years in service or had attained 30 years of age is bound to disengage officially from the service does not in any way apply to the INEC chairman.

“We want a credible election but in a situation where we are being informed that because the postponement of the election attracted no reaction from the people, Jega could be removed and a person who will do the bidding of the government be planted, doesn't hold water.”

“You cannot start a game which is about to end, and suddenly you want to change the goal post. You don't want a referee that is fair to all so as to subvert the whole system for sinister or personal purposes.”

“We will continue to say no to impunity. We will continue to say no to any attempt to undermine the credibility of the forthcoming election.”

“We therefore want to appeal to Nigerians to be steadfast, to keep watch so that their labour will not be in vain. If Ghana and other countries got it right, Nigeria can also get it right.”

“We are opposed to the removal of Jega because it is criminal, illegal and unconstitutional. They want to remove him through the back door,” Akume stated.”

Maintaining that though President Goodluck Jonathan has the right to sack Jega, Akume said that cannot not be done without a two-third majority approval of the National Assembly, stressing that the President has no legal powers to unilaterally suspend the INEC chairman.

According to him, “Section 157(1) clearly states that the president can only remove Jega with the vote of 2/3 majority of all senators. Under whatever guise, whether suspension, retirement or voluntary leave, he cannot be removed.

“Section 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President cannot remove the INEC Chairman from office without getting approval of the Upper Chamber.”

“Section 157 (1) of the constitution reads: “…a person holding any of the offices to which this section applies may only be removed from that office by the president acting on an address supported by two-third majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office.”

Aside Jega's case, all opposition senators, also restated their displeasure to the clearance of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as minister at the senate and the deployment of soldiers for elections, saying their position was that Obanikoro was not qualified to hold public office.

Speaking through their leader, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, they said: “We are going to oppose that, and the three senators from Lagos have written to Mark opposing that. Obanikoro is not qualified to hold public office based on his antecedent and a case which will be coming up on March 6 in Lagos.

“When any case is in court under our rules, the Senate President will use his power to ensure that it is not brought before the senate.”