Prof. Attahiru Jega
The
five-year tenure of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, expires on Tuesday next week.
Jega, who hails from Kebbi State, is to retire with six National Commissioners.
The former university vice chancellor had said he would not seek re-appointment after finishing his first tenure.
The
other six National Commissioners whose tenures expire on the same day
with Jega are Col. M.K. Hammanga (rear.), Adamawa state, (North-East);
Dr. Ishmael Jikiri Igbani, Rivers state, (South-South); Prof. Lai
Olurode, Osun state, (South-West); Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor, Abia state,
(South-East); Mrs. Thelma Amata Iremiren, Delta state, (South-South);
and Dr. Nuru Yakubu, Yobe state, (North-East).
Jega and these commissioners were inaugurated by former President Goodluck Jonathan on June 30, 2010.
Four
other National Commissioners are to leave the Commission in July and
August this year. They are Dr. Abdulkadir Oniyangi, Kwara
State, (North-Central), whose tenure will expire on July 21; Mrs Amina
Bala Zakari, Jigawa state, (North-West), whose tenure will also
expire on July 21; Dr. Chris Iyimoga, Nasarawa state, (North-Central),
whose tenure will expire on August 11; and Amb. (Dr.) Mohammed Ahmad
Wali, Sokoto State, (North-West), whose tenure will also expire on
August 11, 2015.
The
commission, in its bulletin, added that the tenure of 16 Resident
Electoral Commissioners have expired and they have left the Commission
last week.
It added that a gala night was held in their honour last week Thursday at the Le Meridien Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
The
affected RECs were Ahmad Makama, Bauchi State; Haliru Tambuwal, Sokoto
State; Abdullahi Danyaya, Niger State; Abubakar Wara, Kebbi State; Mr.
Mike Igini, Delta State; Prof. Selina Oko, Ebonyi State; Hussaini Ahmed
Mahuta, Katsina State; Dr. A.L. Ogunmola, Oyo State; Alh. Ibrahim
Zarewa, Kano State; Prof. Tukur Sa’ad, Adamawa State; Dr. Emmanuel
Onucheyo, Kogi State; Kassim Gana Gaidam, Yobe State; Mr. Timothy
Ibitoye, Osun State; Amb. Rufus Akeju, Lagos State; Prof. C.E. Onukaogu,
Abia State; and Ibrahim Bagobiri Marafa, Zamfara State.
But even as the
commission is being depleted, following the progressive expiration of
the tenures of National Commissioners, the commission, nevertheless,
said that its work will continue apace and uninterrupted because it can
always form a quorum.
Section 159 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) states:
(1.) The
quorum for a meeting of any of the bodies established by section 153 of
this Constitution shall be not less than one-third of the total number
of members of that body at the date of the meeting.
(2.) A
member of such a body shall be entitled to one vote, and a decision of
the meeting may be taken and any act or thing may be done in the name of
that body by a majority of the members present at the meeting.
(3.) Whenever
such body is assembled for a meeting, the Chairman or other person
presiding shall, in all matters in which a decision is taken by vote (by
whatever name such vote may be called) have a casting as well as a
deliberative vote.
(4.) Subject
to its rules of procedure, any such body may act or take part in any
decision notwithstanding any vacancy in its membership or the absence of
any member.
Olusola Fabiy
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