By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Barrister Chukwuma Ezeala has added his voice to the growing demand for President Muhammadu Buhari to consider a review of the recent nominations of National Commissioners and Residence Electoral Commissioners (RECs) into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which he sent to the National Assembly (NASS) to enhance the credibility of the 2023 General Elections.
Ezeala who was a guest of Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily monitored on Monday said the growing concerns of notable Nigerians, Civil Society groups and other stakeholders over the quality of people on the nomination list the President submitted to the Senate for appointment as National Commissioners and RECs last year,
should not be ignored.
According to him: “every efforts to reform Nigeria’s electoral processes will count for nothing if the persons who are appointed into the electoral umpire, INEC are biased and incompetent. For this reason the President cannot afford to appoint individuals the citizens believe are incapable to execute the assignments given to them because they lack the capacity to deliver the goods”.
Ezeala argued that elections are the most important process that gives Nigerians the opportunity to have a say on who lead them hence he is opposed to the nomination of persons who will be learning on the job as they don’t have prior experience in doing the job the President has nominated them to execute.
The legal practitioner therefore said that the President should reconsider the earlier nomination list with a view to nominating people of integrity who have the capacity to deliver credible elections.
Said he: “With due respect, I want to call on Mr. President to review the choice of nominees he sent to the Senate and go for reliable and tested individuals who have distinguished themselves in the previous assignments they have been given. Some of these persons have done well as INEC Commissioners and RECs.
“Nigerians will be disappointed should experienced persons in INEC like Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Usman Mauzu (Rtd); Professor Okechukwu lbeanu; Mr. Mike Igini, REC of Akwa Ibom state who stood firmly for the intergity of INEC throughout his sojourn in the Commission are sacrificed for political reasons”.
Ezeala also said that the honesty, disciplined and patriotism of the above mentioned persons and others such as the performing REC of Sokoto and a few others who demonstrated character and integrity in the 2019 election should not be discarded.
Said he: “I am yet to understand why individuals like Prof. lbeanu, who delivered a credible election in the November 6, 202 Anambra Governorship Election was denied tenure renewal like AVM Mauzu (Rtd) and Igini too”.
The Barrister-At-Law also wondered why
Nigeria will not adopt the best practice worldwide where people of integrity and competence are retained and promoted to inspire others to do more.
Ezeala therefore urged the President to act as he did a few days ago with the new NNPC Board which he changed the Chairman of the Board after announcing another person as the Chairman.
