25th May, 2010
Feelers that the Federal Government is planning to appoint the Minister of Information and Communication, Professor Dora Akunyili, the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, came as a surprise to many Nigerians.
The report even disclosed that Akunyiliâ€
Agreed, Akunyili performed wonderfully when she was the Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, but we think appointing her to supervise next yearâ€
With the likelihood of Jonathan contesting next yearâ€
Secondly, it has been confirmed that Akunyili is a card carrying member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Appointing her as the INEC chairman will confer undue advantage on the party at the expense of other parties.
We agree completely with the main opposition Action Congress, AC, that going ahead to make Akunyili the INEC chairman to supervise next yearâ€
According to the party, “apart from being a serving cabinet member, Akunyili is a card-carrying member of the PDP and a loyalist of President Jonathan.†Certainly, these are not the qualities Nigerians are looking for in their new electoral umpire.
It is our opinion that the new INEC chairman must be non partisan, neutral, honest, fearless and imbued with a sense of history. The new INEC boss must be seen to be apolitical and must enjoy the support of all the political parties.
We want to remind the president that the appointment of a new INEC boss is perhaps the most important appointment he has to make in his short tenure before the next election. Therefore, only a credible candidate should be appointed for the position. If he bungles everything, Nigerians will not forgive him.
We think it is time for President Jonathan to put his act together and look at the recommendations of the Justice Uwais-led electoral reform and implement it. We also want to remind the president that to conduct a free and fair election there must be a credible votersâ€
President Jonathan must act fast in this regard and fulfil the yearning of Nigerians to have a credible poll.