Against the backdrop of the recent story going round on the likely successor of the immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission Professor Mahmood Yakubu whose tenure came to an end due to his sudden resignation after the completion of his two consecutive terms in office.
A strong source disclosed that contrary to the insinuation made by Engr Buba Galadima the jostling for the emergence of the chairman of the electoral umpire is being promoted by three different powerful groups including a powerful serving minister on a solo engagement.
A powerful serving minister is pushing for a candidate from the south. A former Governor with strong political connection to the President from an oil rich South South is in the first group pushing for a candidate from his state. He recently influenced the cross over of his former state Governor to the APC.
Closely followed is another group promoting the interest of some powerful people from Lagos axis supported by some elements in the security sector working for the emergence of a former female candidate from Delta state. Their selling point is on the need to have a strong female chairperson with capacity to reform the system and restore electoral fidelity to the institution.
This group have sold the idea to the administration on the need to have a female chairperson in charge of INEC for the first time in order to curry the Nigerian female constituency to boost support and confidence to PBAT administration.
In the build up to the nomination of the new Chairman, the name of an influential former INEC Director from Delta State came up. The source disclosed that expectation is high on materialization of emergence of the strong willed lady as the next chairperson of the electoral management board. Her credentials are irresistible and record of her past dealings with all political parties is going to vindicate her. The involvement of her influential former Deputy President of the Senate from Delta in the major push couldn’t be ascertained.
The last group is the one spearheaded by hawkish politicians within the ruling party hell bent on installing an INEC Chairman who can deliver the forthcoming 2027 general election at all cost.
According to the source, the job is a very difficult one and therefore cannot be given to an entirely new person that my need at least two years to learn the job. Such person may likely be undermined by vested interests and other powerful individuals within the commission in charge of the department of operations, ICT and logistics before, during and after the 2027 general election.
“The issue of Justice Liman and other names being speculated about this is completely false and not on the card.”
Considering the history of the umpire and list of the past chairmen of the Commission. South East and North have held the position at several times. Therefore, the issue of some one or a serving National Commissioner from the south west is technically out of considering. Also principles of fairness dictates that the President cannot not nominate his fellow south westerner to supervise an election from his zone in which he is a contestant.
The only zone to produce INEC Chairman in the present circumstances is south south region. All former Head of States/Presidents nominated chairmen of the electoral body outside their zone. From reliable sources, the President Tinubu is following similar route based on the same principles.
Some have argued that the south south have produced many chairmen of the electoral body in the past. But to most people, the issue goes beyond this narrative. According to them, one time Chairman of INEC from the region voluntarily resigned based on principles and refusal to be teleguided. Also likely hood of not having a south south as a candidate of any of the major political parties on the ballot during the forthcoming polls is another important factor. It seems President Tinubu is not bothered by certain divergent positions and all the noise by other politically motivated ideas and speculations to fizzle out soon.
The international community are going to welcome the idea for the appointment of a female chairperson of the electoral body to the eternal credit of Tinubu’s sense of gender inclusion credentials.
