The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega has dismissed reports making rounds that the presidency was shopping for his replacement adding that he would not proceed on terminal leave on 1 March this year as being speculated.
The spokesperson for the INEC boss, Mr. Kayode Idowu, who spoke on a TV programme monitored in Lagos, today, said Jega’s appointment was not guided by civil service rules and so he would serve until his tenure elapses on 30 June this year.
After the postponement of the elections last weekend, there have been reports that President Goodluck Jonathan’s next move is to relieve Jega of his job and replace him with a pliant person to conduct the elections.
Idowu also said the ballot papers for Nigeria’s presidential election scheduled to hold on 28 March were ready.
He said the ballot papers had been delivered by the printers and that they were being kept in the vault of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He also disclosed that thousands of ad hoc staff were being trained for the elections initially billed to take place on 14 and 28 February but shifted to 28 March and 11 April.
He said the postponement would allow INEC perfect its preparations for the polls, adding that there can never be 100% preparations for an election since things continue to change until the last day of the polls.
