Presidency Explains Why Zakari Was Appointed Acting INEC Chair
The Presidency has countered claims by the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the appointment of the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was done without due process.
“Contrary to Mr Metuh’s allegations, President Buhari’s appointment of Mrs Zakari as Acting INEC Chariman was based entirely on merit”, a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said.
The Statement also noted that “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”, he said.
He urged Nigerians not to regard the claim that the appointment was influenced by “personal relationship with the Presidency and a Governor in the North-West to pave the way for the APC at election tribunals.
“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”, he maintained.
Adesina also took a swipe at the PDP Scribe, maintaining that “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”, he insisted.
He further noted that Mrs Zakari got the appointment 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” because “apart from being fully qualified for the position, Mrs Zakari was the only woman among the six Commissioners considered”.
Mr Metuh had earlier on Wednesday told reporters during a press conference in Abuja that the PDP rejects the appointment of Mrs Zakari, adding that the appointment was nepotic and did not follow due process.
