On INEC Chairmanship

SIR: I have taken a very critical look at the trend of appointing chairmen for national electoral commission in Nigeria since independence. I notice that all the past chairmen of the electoral commission were always chosen outside the regions or tribes of the sitting heads of government!

Starting from FEDECO in 1979, we had Michael Ani, through Eme Awa, Humphrey Nwosu, Abel Guobadia, Maurice Iwu, Attahiru Jega! All these chairmen were not from the same regions or ethnic groups as the heads of government who appointed them! Maybe such arrangements were for neutrality as electoral umpires! And perhaps to underscore federal character in unbiased manner, especially when critical elections are held.

In global football, referees are often chosen outside the countries or regions of the teams on field of play! This creates credibility of decisions taken by the referees.

But now that “change” has come, the body language is that INEC acting or substantive chairmen must be from presidential region, or even clan! President Muhammadu Buhari and Council of State might wish to review the unprecedented appointment of Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu as INEC chairman.

How will the INEC chairmanship impartiality be guaranteed when the payer of the piper signals the tune? Why can’t the new INEC chairman be an Igbo man or Ijaw or Yoruba, since the President is a northerner?

Prof. Yakubu is a brilliant scholar, a first-class historian. No doubt he is qualified. But, the fact that he is from the same ethnic group with President Buhari puts grave suspicion on the motive for the appointment! More so, that Attahiru Jega and Amina Zakari had taken immediate successive slots? Now, Mahmood Yakubu!

Is INEC chairmanship now zoned to the north? Why don’t we have ethnic balance in such a sensitive position?

Starting from FEDECO in 1979, we had Michael Ani, through Eme Awa, Humphrey Nwosu, Abel Guobadia, Maurice Iwu, Attahiru Jega! All these chairmen were not from the same regions or ethnic groups as the heads of government who appointed them! Maybe such arrangements were for neutrality as electoral umpires! And perhaps to underscore federal character in unbiased manner, especially when critical elections are heldI am just thinking aloud!

• Kunle Rotimi,
Lagos.