ABUJA- Seven of the 12 INEC national commissioners would quit the commission on Monday August 25 following the expiration of their five-year tenure.
Investigation revealed that the affected commissioners were from five geo-political zones of the country.
INEC national commissioner in charge of Information and Publicity, Mr Phillip Umeadi, confirmed to newsmen that seven of his colleagues would retire by August 25.
He explained that their retirement was sequel to the completion of their five-year term, having been appointed in August 2003 by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The affected commissioners are Mrs. Esther Sallah (Taraba), Chief Farukanmi Oloruninbe (Ondo), Mohammed
Abubakar (Gombe), Dr Mohammed Jumare (Kaduna), Mr. Setley Daze (Plateau), Anuka Uchola (Kogi) and Ekpenyong Nsa (Cross River).
Dr Ishmael Igbani (Rivers) who retired in February 2008 as national commissioner in charge of Political Party Monitoring has not been replaced.
It was learnt that likely delay by the Federal Government in replacing the commissioners informed fixing August 23 for
the conduct of the governorship re-run poll in Cross Rivers.
“We cannot be tempted to extend the date for the re - run election beyond August 23 as seven of our commissioners would retire by August 25.
“We will be depleted and not form quorum to take such decision,” Umeadi said
Reports says that what might be termed valedictory commission meeting presided over by the INEC Chairman, Prof Maurice Iwu, was held on Tuesday at the commission’s headquarters.
With the exit of eight commissioners, the commission would now be left with four commissioners.
The remaining four are Phillip Umeadi, (South East ) Victor Chuckwuani, (South East) Belo Bala (North West)
and Adedeji Soyebi (South West).
The commission has already set up a committee to organise a befitting send forth ceremony for the retiring commissioners after Saturday’s governorship re - run poll in Cross River.
|
