By Dr. Uche Diala
Below are the Departments at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Headquarters headed by individuals from the South West (Yoruba):
- Director ICT (SW – Yoruba)
- Director Procurement (SW – Yoruba)
- Director Planning and Monitoring (SW – Yoruba)
- Director Litigation and Prosecution (SW – Yoruba)
- Director Commission Secretariat (SW – Yoruba)
- Director Voter Register (SW – Yoruba)*
- Director Audit (SW – Yoruba)
- Has just been swapped.
Individuals from the other 5 geopolitical zones (SS, NE, NC, NW, SE) head one, two, or maximum 3 Departments.
It Gets Worse:
From credible reports, the Electoral Operation and Logistics Department – probably the only sensitive Department not currently headed by a SW/Yoruba person and the only Department out of 16 Departments headed by someone from the North West has just been swapped to be headed by a Yoruba person from the South West.
If this development is allowed to stand, it means that most – if not all – key departments of INEC which Prepare, Conduct and Monitor election activities will be headed by Yorubas.
While I’m not insinuating anything beyond what any reasonable Nigerian would insinuate under the circumstance, is it proper, fair, safe and acceptable that individuals from a particular geopolitical zone and tribe have complete control of unarguably the most sensitive departments of INEC during a general election?
INEC needs to clearly, urgently, publicly and transparently address this issue – if it wants to be seen as truly independent, impartial and uncompromised.
Politicians should not try to achieve through the back door what they have not earned and can’t achieve through the front door – especially using a public institution that is public funded and one supposed to be independent, impartial and above reproach.
Nigerians should be alert and resist any mischievous agenda and underhand tactics.
©️ Uche Diala
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