By Akeem Oyetunji President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday said he has not told anybody that he would remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega ahead of the rescheduled general elections.
Fielding questions from a team of journalists during the presidential media chat, he could however not say categorically that Jega will conduct the elections now holding on March 28 and April 11.
It is being rumoured that the Presidency would direct the INEC boss, Jega, to proceed on three months terminal leave from March since his tenure ends in June.
Asked to clear the air on this, Jonathan said, “I have not told anybody I am going to remove Jega, I have not said so.
“There is a lot of misinformation that goes to the public and that is one thing that makes me sad in this country.”
He however hastened to add that the constitution empowers the person who appoints to also remove.
On the postponement of the election, the President said he was not consulted before the announcement, saying “I don’t decide dates of elections”.
He recalled that in 2011, he was already in his community, Otuoke, Bayelsa State to vote when INEC boss announced the postponement of election by two weeks.
President Jonathan also posited that the advice offered by the Security Chiefs that the polls be shifted should not be an issue.
