Jega Urges President Tinubu to Review Appointments of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has called on President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the appointments of the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), expressing concerns over perceived partisanship among some appointees.

Approximately a month ago, President Tinubu nominated 10 RECs, and their appointments were subsequently confirmed by the Senate.

However, allegations of some RECs being involved in partisan politics have raised criticism.

Jega, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, emphasized the importance of reviewing the appointments to address the concerns and maintain the integrity of elections.

He stated, “I think there is no doubt that if the President were listening, my advice would be to immediately review the appointment of the Resident Electoral Commissioners that was passed by the Senate recently.”

Highlighting the significance of such a review, Jega noted, “It’s very, very important because clearly, not only does it send a wrong signal about the government’s intention to improve the integrity of elections, it also suggests, you know, that there is indifference with regards to protecting the independence and impartiality of the election management body.”

Jega expressed his hope that President Tinubu would take prompt action, suggesting that there might be misinformation or lack of complete details regarding the appointments.