Confirms Anohu-Amazu as PENCOM boss
By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
Following moves by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create additional 30,000 polling units ahead of the 2015 general elections, the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, chaired by Senator Andy Uba, has vowed that the Senate would overrule Professor Attahiru Jega if the commission goes ahead with the creation of 30,000 additional polling units despite a directive by the upper chamber calling for its immediate suspension.
Reacting also to the creation of the polling units by INEC, the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, said the explanations given by the commission’s chairman lacked merit, given its timing, which he described as inauspicious.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Uba disclosed that the Senate had, in a meeting with Jega, asked him to suspend the creation of additional polling units which had generated a lot of controversy lately.
He also stated that the committee, sequel to the meeting, had written the commission calling for the suspension of the exercise forthwith.
Uba said: “We have sent a letter to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and we expressed our reservations over the planned creation of additional polling units across the country.
“What he is doing is good, but the timing is wrong. We are close to an election year and we have so many displaced people in the North-eastern part of the country. So where will the INEC put the new polling units?”
Confirming the validity of reasons given by Jega for the creation of additional polling units, Uba said the committee’s call on the commission to suspend same was bordered on concerns which noted that election was very close.
He added that any attempt by the commission to go ahead with the exercise would leave the Senate with no other option than to overrule the commission.
“If they continue with it (the 30,000 Polling units), we will pass our resolution, it is simple, and once we pass our resolution, is he going to go ahead and say that he doesn’t care? There are consequences when you say you don’t care. But I know he is a gentleman and he is a man that keeps to his words.
“We had a meeting (with Jega) and we have sent him a letter. He should know it is all about his integrity as people are saying he is plotting something but that is not our business. And I don’t believe that there is something he has in mind against anybody or anything.
“But all I am saying is that, and all we are saying is that, the timing is wrong. It needs time for them to educate the people. So, it needs time to educate people but it is a good idea because it will decongest these polling units. It makes things work faster.”
On the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act, he said, “We are working on it and I am sure the Deputy Senate President who is the chairman of that said that by the time we come back we should be able to finish what we are doing.”
Ndoma-Egba, while also reacting to the additional polling units issue, said: “Let me say this, that irrespective of the merits that I don’t see, if INEC insists, that there is merit in what they are doing, irrespective of the alleged merit, I think the timing is absolutely inauspicious.
“The timing is wrong, the timing is insensitive. I think it should be suspended until the next rounds of elections are over. It shouldn’t be such a major move, it shouldn’t be on the eve of an election, it should be when we are far away from elections so that motives are not imputed into it.
“No matter how meritorious that move is, I think it has been compromised by suspicion and the fairest thing INEC should do is to discontinue with the exercise until more auspicious period.”
Meanwhile, the Senate during yesterday’s plenary confirmed the appointment of Chinelo Anohu-Amazu as the Director-General of the National Pension Commission, PENCOM.
The Senate also confirmed Mr. Ebenezer Foby as a commissioner in the commission, as well as Captain Muhktar Usman who was also confirmed as the DG, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
The Senate, however, adjourned sitting for the Sallah celebrations, to reconvene on October 14, 2014.
