The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Zakari

  • Be impartial, Zakari tells RECs

    Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Amina Zakari has called on Resident Electoral Commissioner’s (RECs) to remain impartial and deliver credible electoral services.

    She spoke yesterday at a meeting with RECs at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja according to a bulletin from the electoral commission.

    The Acting Chairman called for caution, noting that INEC was experiencing challenges in the management of the various cases before the election petition tribunals.

    “We shall continue to uphold our role as independent, non-partisan and an unbiased umpire.

    “We must ensure that we act according to the rules and remain above board, as well as cooperate with all stakeholders to ensure free, fair and un-interrupted dispensation of justice,” she said.

    Speaking on the agenda of the meeting, Amina Zakari said:  “Our meeting today is designed to enable us focus and re-strategize on key issues of the electoral process.

    “It is obvious that the recommendations from the Uyo retreat have been far-reaching.

    “We need to understudy those reports with a view to identifying suitable modalities for the implementation of the recommendations therein”.

    The recommendations, which required urgent attention, Mrs. Zakari said, include continuous voter registration and permanent voter cards’ distribution; improved communication strategies with internal and external stakeholders; Ad-hoc staff matters (recruitment, training and payment) and      Legal reforms among others.

    On the forthcoming Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections, she challenged the RECs and staff of the Commission to ensure the exercise meet international standards.

    According to her: “It is important to begin to look towards the necessary mechanisms that would positively impact on the conduct of these exercises.

    “We have already set good records; but should still improve to  make the elections a world class exercise.”

  • INEC chairmanship: Zakari to stay or go?

    INEC chairmanship: Zakari to stay or go?

    The appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, a pharmacist, as the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been generating ripples. Sunday Oguntola considers the argument for and against the appointment   

    It was supposed to be an historic appointment. A woman was asked to head the nation’s electoral body for the first time. But so far, it has generated vitriolic criticisms. Since President Muhammadu Buhari announced Mrs. Amina Zakari as Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not a few have raised serious objections.

    Zakari, whose tenure ended as National Commissioner of the electoral body on July 21, was appointed by Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi, through a statement by the Director of Communications, Office of the HoS, Haruna Imrana.

    The terse statement said Zakari was appointed with immediate effect from June 30th, 2015 pending the appointment of a substantive chairman for the electoral body. While many women organisations jubilated and praised Buhari for daring to put the highly influential INEC in the hands of a woman, many condemned the move.

    A plethora of objections

    First, to raise an eyebrow is the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, took Buhari to the cleaners, saying the appointment was lacking in morality and promotes nepotism. The party rejected the appointment, vowing it would not recognise INEC as long as it is headed by Zakari.

    According to Metuh: “President Buhari, in appointing Mrs. Zakari, failed to take into cognizance the moral call to detach himself from the operation of the electoral body thereby completely eroding the independence of the commission.

    “We want Nigerians to know that with this appointment, INEC has been stripped of its independence and can no longer command the confidence and respect of the citizens and other critical stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process.”

    Not done, the PDP continued: “We ask is the spokesperson of the President, oblivious of the public fact that the Acting Chairman of INEC was once a staff of the Afri-Project Consortium, a company well associated with the President?

    “Is he by any means feigning ignorance of the fact that Mrs. Zakari also worked in the past as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Social Development and later that of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Federal Capital Development Authority then under a current APC governor of the Northwest?

    “Even where we concede to the worn-out argument that the President has the powers to appoint any person he deems fit as the INEC’s chairman, does moral obligation not demand that in doing so, he should take into cognizance the sensitivity of the position? Otherwise, he can as well appoint his wife or brother as the electoral umpire on an argument of merit.

    “Whilst the PDP might not be opposed to Mrs. Zakari becoming one out of the numerous national electoral commissioners to be so appointed, we completely reject her being an executive chairman who takes major decisions in an independent electoral commission while having a strong relationship with the President and a prominent APC Northwest governor.

    “Indeed, never in the history of Nigeria has there been an executive chairman of the electoral body with such strong relationship with the President of the country.

    The PDP said: “Having in the last 16 years reformed the nation’s electoral system to an enviable status that is being commended by the international community, we cannot sit back and watch too early in the days, its gradual destruction by partisan interest.

    “The party therefore urges Nigerians, especially key stakeholders in the democratic process to rise above sectional, religious, gender and partisan biases and put the independence of INEC, the credibility of the electoral process and the overall interest of the nation above every other consideration in their comments and views in the appointment.”

    Immediate Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, handed over to Mohammed Wali, a National Commissioner of INEC. That was on June 30 when his five-year tenure ended. The tenure of the Sokoto-born Wali ends by August 11. But Buhari appointed Zakari in an acting capacity.

    More and more objections

    A public analyst, Dr James Eze, said the appointment was unconstitutional. “The President knew that Jega was going to retire by June 30. Why didn’t he appoint someone at a substantive capacity? The constitution didn’t mention anything like Acting INEC chairman. What the President has done is unknown to the laws and a flagrant violation.”

    He further challenged that since Zakari’s tenure ended by July 21; it amounted to “irregularity to ask her to stay a day longer. She should have been asked to go. What the President has done is to cover-up his illegal action with a quick appointment. That appointment does not nullify the expiration of Zakari’s tenure.”

    Gbenga Ogunniran, a lawyer, also contended with the choice of Zakari. According to him: “President Buhari erred seriously in many ways. First, there is nothing like Acting INEC chairman either in the constitution or the Electoral Act. Where he got the contrivance is strange to our laws.

    “Two, this woman is from Jigawa, the same political region with the President, for God’s sake. You cannot do that in a country with many states and people. Is Jega saying there are no good people to take charge of INEC outside his region? What we have is a situation where it appears the President is more interested in having someone malleable to him than serving the interest of the nation.”

    Kudos for Buhari

    But the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties (COPP) an umbrella body for 13 registered political parties in Nigeria berated the PDP for condemning the appointment of Zakari. In a statement by its national chairman, Mallam Bashir Ibrahim, the coalition decried what it described as “the dangerous precedent, whereby a political party is trying to decide for the country who becomes the INEC chairman”.

    Ibrahim said: “Any interference by political parties in the appointment of INEC officials is tantamount to politicising the process and the commission itself, which is capable of creating dangerous schism in the commission and generating unnecessary tension in the country.

    “INEC is an independent election management body which must be insulated from politics and irresponsible politicking. The power of and procedure for the appointment of the Chairman of INEC is a constitutional matter and not subject of bargaining by political parties, especially those who are yet to come to terms with the fact that Nigeria is on a very strong change trajectory.

    “INEC is also a regulator of political parties. It is an anomaly for the parties, which the commission regulates, to dictate who the chairman becomes. Obviously, for some parties, it is still midnight.”

    It added: “Mrs. Zakari was not appointed to the Commission by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. She was appointed as INEC National Commissioner by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 and by the time she was appointed acting INEC chairman, she had the distinction of being the most senior INEC National Commissioner in terms of time served.

    “She is well educated and had served the commission as chairman of a number of its committees, including the sensitive Election and Political Party Monitoring Committee during President Jonathan’s administration.

    “If she is good to be a national commissioner of INEC and chairman of its committees under President Jonathan, then she is good to be the Commission’s acting chairman at any other time.”

    The Jonathan’s precedent

    Checks revealed that Zakari is not the first to serve as acting chairman of INEC. Former INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, refused to hand over to a national commissioner, Philip Umeadi. The duo had public spat. Former President Goodluck Jonathan went on to appoint Solomon Soyebi as acting chairman. That was on May 11, 2010.

    A statement signed by the Secretary of the commission then, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaigama, said the appointment was in “conformity with Section 14 (1a) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Of the three National Commissioners serving in the Commission at the moment, only Prince Solomon Soyebi, who is over 50 years old, has met this requirement, hence the basis for his appointment.”

    Before then, there was confusion in the commission. Iwu had been directed to hand over to the most senior commissioner in INEC. Chukwuani, who was the most senior commissioner, had retired with the ex-INEC boss. Of the remaining commissioners, Umeadi was the more senior.

    But Iwu, who had a running battle with him, refused to hand over to Umeadi. He instead chose to be meeting with Kaigama and other senior staff to prepare his handover notes. He allegedly vowed he would never hand over to Umeadi. That was the situation until the appointment of Soyebi. He was the national commissioner in charge of Ogun State.

    Zakari speaks

    Reacting to controversies trailing her appointment, Zakari said: “My tenure would have expired on July 21st but my letter of appointment as Acting Chairman claimed categorically I should act pending when a new (substantive Chairman of the) Commission is put in place.”

    On the controversy surrounding her appointment, she stated: “I think we should not distract ourselves from the issues at hand, I have been in the Commission, I am a National Commissioner, I passed through the Senate screening to become a National Commissioner, and by virtue of that I am appointed Acting Chairman in the Commission.

    “So there shouldn’t have been much controversy. But be it as may, I have a job to do and I am set to do that job”.

    Sagay, Keyamo, Ubani back appointment

    Constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay, backed the appointment of Zakari. He said it followed the due course of the law. Sagay told our correspondent: “I find nothing wrong with the appointment. It is not a substantive appointment but in an acting capacity.”

    Asked if there was provision for appointment of an acting INEC chairman, Sagay explained: “The law cannot make provisions for everything. As long as there is nothing that prohibits something, you can do it. When there is a vacuum, you have to fill it as long as you do not violate the constitution.”

    He berated those calling for the removal of Zakari, wondering why they didn’t raise an eyebrow when former President Goodluck Jonathan suspended former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido, despite the fact that the constitution “made no provision for that.”

    Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo, wondered what disqualifies Zakari from acting. By making her an acting chairman, Keyamo contended that President Buhari has not technically made any appointment. “Since she is acting, no appointment has been made technically. She is just there to fill a void. Her appointment in acting capacity will allow the President consult well before doing a final one,” Keyamo stated.

    On the contention that the Federal Character Code has been breached by the appointment, Keyamo explained that would have been the case if there were two INEC national commissioners from the same zone or region. “But since this is in relation to the President, it does not count because they are not occupying the same position or working for the same body,”

    Former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja chapter, Barrister Chima Ubani, also faulted the calls for the resignation of Zakari. He contended that the expiration of her tenure on July 21 only applied to her appointment as a national commissioner.

    “What we have now is a new appointment that nullifies her former tenure. There is nothing wrong in her continuing until someone else is appointed or she’s considered worthy of becoming a substantive chairman,” Ubani argued.

    He added that if the President has the right to appoint a substantive chairman, nothing stops him from appointing someone in an acting capacity.

    Already, human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to nullify the appointment of Mrs. Zakari.

    In his origination summons last week, brought pursuant to Sections 154 (1),(3), 155(1)C, 157 & 162 OF the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Adegboruwa said Zakari’s appointment was in flagrant violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

    He joined President Muhammadu Buhari and Attorney-General of the Federation as well as INEC as respondents.

    Adegboruwa, in an affidavit in support of the application, stated that Zakari is not qualified to claim to be acting chairman of INEC as she was not appointed in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

    He argued that her stay in INEC expired on July 21, 2015 and same cannot be renewed by the President via a letter without consultations with the Council of States and without confirmation of the Senate.

     

  • How far can Zakari go as INEC boss?

    How far can Zakari go as INEC boss?

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as the Acting Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), replacing Prof. Attahiru Jega, has generated so much interest. In this report, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, takes a look at the chances of the new chief electoral umpire to emerge the substantive chairman of the sensitive commission

    When on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, the outgoing National Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, formally handed over to Amb. Ahmed Wali, one of the National Commissioners in the commission at the hand-over ceremonies; many thought Wali was the chosen one. This was because, long before the formal handover, reports had filtered in that Jega actually preferred Wali to succeed him notwithstanding the formal declaration that Wali, whose tenure as a National Commissioner of the commission would expire in August 11 this year.

    Even when Wali, while accepting the mantle of leadership

    But just few hours after Jega’s celebrated handover, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a different National Commissioner of the commission, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari, as the new Acting National Chairman of INEC.

    The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi, who communicated the appointment to Zakari in a letter, said the appointment, which took immediate effect, would remain in force until the appointment of a substantive Chairman for the electoral body.

    The Director of Communications for the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Haruna Imrana, in a terse three-paragraph statement then announced the appointment formally on Tuesday night.

    Since then, the appointment has generated so much interest in the polity, leading to concerns over Zakari’s chances of surviving the political intrigues and ultimately emerging the substantial National Chairman of the electoral body.

    For example, barely a day after the announcement of her appointment, the national leadership of the leading opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced the party’s rejection of the appointment, alleging that the new acting boss of the electoral body “is too close to the Presidency.”

    Chief Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, declaring the position of the party in a crowded press conference said his “party would want the acting chairman of the commission to state her alleged closeness to the Presidency and one of the governors of the All Progressives Congress from the North-West.”

    Aside the alleged closeness with the presidency, many other reasons have been attributed as being responsible for the varied interests generated by the appointment of Amina Bala Zakari as the new INEC boss. For example, Zakari is the first woman in Nigeria’s history to be appointed the overall boss of the electoral body, though hers is still in acting capacity. This gender factor has been pointed at as responsible either for the support for her suitability or skepticism over her ability to step into the big shoes of the former INEC boss, Jega.

    Another immediate reason that attracted special interest over her appointment is the seeming clash between the choice of the former INEC boss, Jega, and that of the president.

    There was an initial report that Jega will leave the plum seat with all the national commissioners in the commission. This led to speculations that Jega’s successor would either be an outsider or one of the influential State Resident Electoral Commissioners. This speculation however changed when it was later revealed that not all the national commissioners’ tenure would expire as at the time of Jega’s exit on June 30, 2015. That notwithstanding many observers dismissed speculations that one of the remaining national commissioners whose tenure will expire later in the year will eventually succeed Jega.

    So, when Jega eventually handed over to Wali, who immediately pledged to work with the other remaining national commissioners within the six weeks he would hold the office, observers thought Jega consulted with the presidency before making his choice. So, when Buhari came up few hours later to name Zakari as the new head of the commission, observers showed special interest in the politics of the appointment.

    The woman, Zakari

    A widow and mother of five children, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari, Nee Husaini Adamu, is a registered pharmacist and was, before her current appointment, a National Electoral Commissioner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    According to her public profile, Mrs. Zakari who hails from Kazaure Local Government of Jigawa State was born on the 23rd of June 1960. She completed her elementary education at Shekara Girls Primary School, Kano in 1971 and proceeded to the prestigious Queens College Yaba, Lagos for her Secondary Education where she obtained her School Certificate/WASC in 1976.

    In 1976, she went to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Degree in Pharmacy with a Second Class Upper in 1980.

    After her National Youth Service Programme at the Federal University of Technology, Bauchi between 1981 -1982, where she set up a Pharmacy and Drug Store Dispensary as her service year project, she began her professional career at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna as a Senior Pharmacist in 1984.

    She was at CVS Pharmacy Hartsdale, New York, USA between 1993 and 1994 as an Intern Pharmacist and returned to Nigeria to join the Consolidated Health Services, Abakpa Kaduna, where she became the Chief Pharmacist/Consultant from 1996 to 1997.

    She was a Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and was deployed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration where she, between 2004 and 2007, served as Secretary of Health, Human Services and Social Development, and later that of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    A member of the Pharmacist’s Society of Nigeria as well as that of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), she has also worked with the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme (NASCP), Federal Ministry of Health 2002, Project Director for National Primary Health care Development Agency in 2003, Project Coordinator for FCT Federation of Muslim Women’s Organisation (FOMWAN) 2003, National Consultant, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) 2004, Lead Consultant/ Project Manager, Songhai Medical Centre Limited 2008, Consultant, Complete Medicare Limited and Accessible Managed Care Limited 2008 and Consultant, Millennium Development Goal Office 2008.

    Her other academic qualifications include Certificate in Managing Drugs Supply for Primary Health Care from the International Drug Agency, MHS Amsterdam, Netherlands and a Certificate in General Management Programme, Executive Education in Business and Management and Harvard Business School (HBS) Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

    Although she has a rich career in pharmacy and management, and is the Chairman of NYSC Governing Board, Mrs. Zakari’s greatest experience for her new job is perhaps her appointment as a National Electoral Commissioner at INEC since ….

    Her vision and action plan

    Commenting on his appointment, Zakari said during the week, “I accept my appointment with humility and with dedication to serve. I believe it is just a continuation to what the former Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, has started which has been at a high level and there shouldn’t be any problem. I have been part of the process: I have known the problems, challenges and I have seen the successes. What is remaining is for us to build on the successes and try to tackle the outstanding challenges.

    “I must say a lot has been done to improve the electoral processes in Nigeria through the past Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega and a lot more needs to be done. I must say it is like trying to reach an equilibrium because the bulk of the work has been done by former Chairman, Professor Jega, to bring the quality of changes to election management to a high level. So, all we need to do is to put all hands on deck to improve further on what he has done and improve on the good practices he has left behind. Basically, with the cooperation of all, and the support of staff and the people of Nigeria, we should be able to do it pending when a new Commission is put in place.”

    On the likely challenges she may face and how she hopes to tackle them, she said, “Challenges cannot be envisaged because they come as the need arises. So we tackle them as they come-one day at a time. And then try to sort out administrative issues then the major electoral issues, which a lot has been put into. We just need to improve where INEC seems to have failed or erred during the last elections.

    “Basically, half of the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) are on seat and half of the National Commissioners are on seat; so we will deliver the best we can until a new Commission is put in place.

    “We will continue working until a new Commission is constituted. The job will continue; we still have the Secretary, the Directors and the Commissioners. The Commission will be doing what it needs to do.”

    How far can She go?

    Following the huge achievements recorded by Jega in the two general elections he conducted and the drama that played out before she was named the new Acting National Chairman of the commission, some observers have expressed fear over her chances of surviving the current intrigues to emerge the substantive chief electoral umpire.

    Some Nigerians however said she appears to be the right choice at a time like this and is therefore likely to succeed. Dr. Yomi Makinde, a political scientist in Lagos, told The Nation that “as a career woman of proven integrity, Mrs. Zakari is the type of INEC boss Nigeria needs now. She is an insider and seems disciplined enough to take INEC to the next level.”

    For now, Nigerians hold their breath as they wait to see if this bespectacled mother of five will be the one to preside over the 2019 general elections.

  • PDP rejects Zakari as Acting INEC chair

    PDP rejects Zakari as Acting INEC chair

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday approved Mrs Zakari’s appointment in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman for the commission.

    Zakari replaced Prof. Attahiru Jega who retired as the INEC chairman at the expiration of his five-year tenure.

    Speaking at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, alleged that the acting INEC chairman “is too close to the Presidency”.

    Metuh challenged Mrs. Zakari to state her alleged closeness to the Presidency and one of the governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from one of the states in the Northwest.

    Mrs. Zakari, who was one of the national commissioners in INEC until her new appointment, was appointed into that office by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Metuh said: “The PDP has declared the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as unacceptable and demand that President Buhari changes her immediately.

    “The PDP is particularly disturbed by the development in INEC where President Buhari, who knew all along that the immediate-past INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega would be leaving office by June 30, had to wait for him to handover to one of the national commissioners only to reverse it immediately, thereby injecting bad blood in the commission.

    “The situation in INEC since the PDP government reformed and granted it operational autonomy has been peaceful, but Tuesday’s untidy overruling of Prof. Jega and appointing of Mrs. Amina Zakari as acting chairman which, we gathered was influenced by personal relationship with the Presidency and one of the new governors of the North West, ostensibly to pave the way for the APC at the electoral tribunals, has completely eroded public trust in the commission.

    “Whereas the PDP recognises the right and powers of the President to appoint the Chairman of INEC and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), we reject attempts as in the case of the AGF to paint the process as transparent and objective when such was not the case, but brought to question the sincerity and commitment of the present administration to due process.

    “In INEC, the PDP states in unequivocal terms that we cannot, as critical stakeholders fold our hands and watch while the Presidency perpetuates actions that diminish the independence of the electoral commission.

    “Our reasons include the fact that due process was not observed in the appointment and that Mrs. Zakari has shown in the last elections that she is manifestly bias in favour of the APC. Finally, her appointment is a clear case of nepotism. “

  • Buhari appoints Zakari as INEC boss

    Buhari appoints Zakari as INEC boss

    •Jega bows out

    President Muhammadu Buhari last night appointed Mrs. AminaBala Zakari as acting chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    She replaced Prof. Attahiru Jega, who bowed out of office yesterday after serving his five-year term.

    Although Jega handed over to one of the national commissioners, Mohammed Wali, a statement by Head of Service of the Federation Danladi Kifasi announced Mrs. Zakari’s appointment.

    Mrs. Zakari is from Jigawa State, representing the Northwest as national commissioner.

    She is due to retire from INEC this month.

    Appointed in 2010, Jega  conducted two  elections – 2011 and 2015 polls.

    He handed over to Wali, who will also be bowing out on August 11.

    Jega was not the only one who left the commission yesterday. Six national commissioners, whose tenure have expired, also bowed out with him.

    The commissioners affected are: Col. M.K. Hammanga (rtd), Adamawa State (Northeast); Dr. Ishmael Jikiri Igbani, Rivers State (Southsouth); Prof. Lai Olurode, Osun State, (Southwest); Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor, Abia State (Southeast); Mrs. Thelma Amata Iremiren, Delta State (Southsouth); and Dr. Nuru A. Yakubu,  Yobe State (Northeast).

    But, four other national commissioners are to leave the commission this month and in August.

    They are: Dr. Abdulkadir S. Oniyangi,  Kwara State (Northcentral) on July 21; Mrs.  Zakari, on  July 21 and Dr. Chris O. Iyimoga, Nasarawa State (Northcentral) on August 11.

    At the end of a close door handing over ceremony, Jega said the future of the country and commission was bright.

    He was full of appreciation to God and the country for the opportunity accorded him to serve.

    He said: “We feel great; we thank God Almighty for the opportunity to serve the country.

    “The future is bright for the commission and the country.”

    The commission’s secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, confirmed to reporters that Jega at the indoor ceremony handed-over to Wali, pending the appointment of a new chairman by Buhari.

    She added: “We believe we will soon hear what will happen next from the president,’’ she said.

    Ogakwu said Jega encouraged the commission to keep the flag flying.

    “Jega said in whatever we have achieved, we should keep it up and do more, adding that there are still a lot to be done,’’ she said.