Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has insisted that the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, must be relieved of his job if free and fair election is to be guaranteed in 2015.
He made the conclusion against the backdrop of creation of additional 30,000 polling units, in which he allotted 22,000 to the North and 8,000 units to the South.
The Ijaw national leader, who said Nigerians had lost confidence in the correctitude of the electoral umpire, described the action of Jega as dangerous to the coexistence and unity of the country.
“Jega’s decision will cause problem in the country. A situation whereby you are creating 30,000 polling units and you have 22,000 to the North and only 8,000 to the South on no basis, is dangerous. That’s why we asked him to resign,” Clark insisted.
The former Minister of Information, who stated this in a chat with newsmen at his home country in Kaigbodo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, at the weekend, said given the recalcitrant posture of the INEC boss, it was clear that he had a hidden agenda.
He enjoined northerners to queue behind President Goodluck Jonathan ahead the 2015 presidential election, saying four years was so short a time compared to the almost 40 years northerners had ruled the country.
“In Nigeria, people will want to do things that will divide the country. I have told my friends who are northern leaders that four years is not for life. They have been ruling this country for almost 40 years. Nobody worried. Are we second class citizen in this country? No! Everybody is equal. God is behind Jonathan. He will succeed come 2015,” he declared.
The octogenarian called for an improvement on the electoral process, adding that INEC should address the recurring issue of late arrival of electoral materials to polling centres during elections.
He said this against the backdrop of the just-colluded local government election in Delta State, which, many Deltans believed, was largely characterised by late and in some cases, non-delivery of election materials.
On the announced ceasefire between the Federal Government and Boko Haram, Clark said for every agreement brokered, there would always be a breach from one of the parties, adding that more negotiations should be made.
Source: Tribune
