Presidency: PDP’s rejection of Acting INEC Chair, laughable
- Peter Moses
- Jul 2, 2015
- 2 min read
The Presidency last night replied Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for rejecting the newly appointed Acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs Aminat Zakari, described it as laughable.
PDP’s Spokesman, Mr Olisa Metuh had on Wednesday said the opposition party rejected Zakari’s appointment as Professor Attahiru Jega’s replacement over what he called her closeness to presidency.
However, a statement by Special Adviser to the President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina described Metuh’s allegation as “rehash of baseless allegations, which also lacks any factual foundation.”
Zakari’s appointment was “based on merit, her vast experience in the internal operations of INEC and the President’s commitment to affirmative action in support of gender equality,” Buhari’s spokesman, said.
While explaining that Jega’s handing over to another commissioner did not amount to appointment and only President has power to do so, the statement added that Zakari’s appointment was done following due process.
The statement reads: “We have noted with regret, the latest tirade against President Muhammadu Buhari issued today by the PDP’s Spokesman, Mr Olisa Metuh.
“Other than boring reporters at his press conference with a rehash of baseless allegations of inaction against the President, Mr Metuh clearly had nothing new to say apart from his charge of nepotism and partisanship in the appointment of the Acting INEC Chairman, which also lacks any factual foundation.
“President Buhari certainly did not “overrule” Prof. Attahiru Jega in appointing Mrs Amina Zakari as the Acting INEC Chairman, as Mr Metuh alleged.
“Prof. Jega’s purported handing over to another Commissioner cannot be construed as an “appointment” because only the President has the constitutional authority, which he exercised to appoint Mrs Zakari as acting Chairman of INEC.
“Contrary to Mr Metuh’s allegations, President Buhari’s appointment of Mrs Zakari as Acting INEC Chariman was based entirely on merit, her vast experience in the internal operations of INEC and the President’s commitment to affirmative action in support of gender equality, because, apart from being fully qualified for the position, Mrs Zakari was the only woman among the six Commissioners considered.
“Due Process was certainly followed in Mrs Zakari’s appointment. Mr Metuh’s spurious claims of her appointment having been influenced by “personal relationship with the Presidency” and a Governor in the North-West “to pave the way for the APC” at election tribunals should be disregarded by the public.
“The allegations are nothing but falsehoods contrived by Mr Metuh to unjustly denigrate a President popularly elected by Nigerians to undo the damage done to the nation by years of PDP rule.
“His claim that the PDP has rejected Mrs Zakari’s appointment is also laughable after he had admitted that the right and power of the President to make such appointments cannot be questioned.
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