As
Professor Attahiru Jega is about to bow out of office next week Tuesday as the
chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) following the expiration of his five-year tenure.
Lets see some memorable quotes from the man that stabilise the electoral
process in Nigeria at a time when doom prophets have predicted a clouded moment
for the country.
His
classic reply to Peter Godsday Orubebe attempts to disrupt the
announcement of presidential result:
1.“You
are a former minister and a statesman in your own night, a public
figure. You should be careful about what you say or do. I cannot be
receiving petitions here. As I speak with you now, I have not seen
any result.”
2.“I
maintained my calmness because I knew all the allegations were false.
There is nothing that frightens me or disturbs me because, of all our
actions, we have
explanations for them,”
explanations for them,”
3.
“Whatever
assignment one will do for five years – just like this difficult
one, to me if one is able to successfully accomplish the task,
someone else should be given the opportunity, because for me I am not
interested and if I am requested to serve again, I will not do it, by
God’s grace.”
4. “I
am grateful to God. I was asked to come and contribute my own quota
to the national development and I have done my bit to the best of my
ability.”
On
the election extension:
5.
“As
for us in INEC we’ll endeavour to use the period of the extension
to keep on perfecting our systems and processes for conducting the
best elections in Nigeria’s history.”
6.
“We
in INEC reassure all Nigerians and indeed the international community
of our commitment to do everything within the law and to conduct
free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.For the avoidance of
doubt, we will under no circumstances approve an arrangement that is
not in line with the provisions of our laws.”
On
the need to hold elections same day was in line with global
practices:
7. “I
think that in future, not 2015, elections should be held in same day
in line with global practices and Nigeria should move in that
direction in the future. Staggered elections are not cost effective
and it is not cost efficient and it is expensive.”
8. “It
is possible and not impossible. It is just that we have not addressed
our minds to it and all politicians and other stakeholders are not
really joining hands in order to ensure the success of the process.”
On
deregistration political parties:
9. “The
current deregistration of political parties should be viewed in this
context of bringing sanity to the electoral process and ensuring that
all stakeholders, particularly political stakeholders who are the
major stakeholders in the electoral process, play according to
the rules.”
10.“It
is right for deepening of democracy in our country and we have done
it with consistence and with the best interpretation of the legal
regime that we have got before taking that decision.
naij
