INEC SETS UP COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE ROLE OF STAFF IN CONDUCT OF RIVERS RE-RUN ELECTIONS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the promotion of 1,307 of its staff across the country. The approval came yesterday following a meeting of the Commission held at the INEC headquarters, Abuja.

 

A breakdown of those promoted shows that 14 were officers promoted from Grade Level (GL) 16 to the rank of Grade Level (GL) 17 (substantive Directors) while 1,293 were officers from Grade Levels (GL) 7 to 16. All the staff promoted passed their promotion examinations and successfully met the rigorous criteria set by the Commission.

 

The Commission also set up a high-powered, four-man Committee to investigate the role of INEC staff in the conduct of the Rivers National and State Assembly re-run elections which took place on Saturday, 10^th December 2016.

 

The members of the Committee are:

Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu, Chairman; AVM Ahmed T. Mu’azu, (National Commissioner) member; Professor Jacob Jatau, (Resident Electoral Commissioner, FCT), Member; Omoloja Tajudeen, Deputy Director (Discipline).

 

The Committee’s terms of reference are to:

·      Review the preparations and deployment of personnel and material on the eve of the elections;

·      Identify the factors leading to the apparent failure of processes in some Local Government Areas (LGAs);

·      Determine the involvement and possible culpability of INEC officials in the conduct and outcome of the elections;

·      Recommend appropriate sanctions against officials involved in any infractions and commendation for exceptional performance; and

·      Advise the Commission on any matter considered relevant to the assignment.

 

The Committee is to submit its report on Monday, 30^th January 2017.

 

In respect of INEC staff facing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over the conduct of the 2015 General Elections, the Commission decided that appropriate disciplinary action be meted out to them based on the INEC Staff Conditions of Service.

 

Meanwhile, four Directors of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Headquarters, Abuja, who recently retired after meritoriously serving the Commission, were yesterday recognized and appreciated with gift items by Directors in the Commission’s headquarters.

 

In a ceremony organized in their honour, held at the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja, Chairman of the occasion, The Director-General of the Electoral Institute, Professor Abubakar Momoh, said the occasion was held to honour the Directors whom he said had distinguished themselves in the service of the Commission and the country at large.

 

He said that retirement was not a death sentence but a time to open new vistas and explore new opportunities to serve in other capacities. He advised the retired Directors not to let their wealth of experience lie fallow but see themselves as assets to the Commission and the nation.

 

In his remarks, the Director, Human Resources Management (HRM), and Acting Secretary to the Commission, Musa Hamidu Adamu, said the nature of the job was a challenging one and to retire without blemish was a great achievement. He congratulated the four recipients and wished them well in their future endeavours.

 

In his remarks, the Director of ICT, Chidi Nwafor, expressed the Commission’s profound gratitude to the retired Directors and for their selfless service and contributions to the nation. He implored them to see themselves as part of the system.

 

Those honoured are:

i.               Barr. Ibrahim K. Bawa (SAN)

ii.             Alh. Isa Lawal Wase

iii.            Engr. Moses Udoh

iv.           Alh. Ishiaku Gali

 

Responding on their behalf, Alhaji Ishiaku Gali, expressed gratitude to the Commission for the kind and unprecedented gesture. He said: “I believe this is the first time this gesture is being done. It will go down in history as a remarkable event”.

 

He implored the Commission to continue recognizing hard work and selfless service. Alhaji Gali urged serving Directors to continue to do their best in serving the Commission and the country.

 

The high point of the event was the presentation of plaques for meritorious service to the recipients and presentation of gift items by the D-G of The Electoral Institute and other serving Directors.