The new Acting Chairman will serve in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a permanent Chairman by the President.
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The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, retired from INEC on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, alongside six National Commissioners. Former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as Chairman on June 30, 2010.
The handover ceremony was conducted behind closed-doors at the Commission in Abuja, where Jega handed over the mantle of leadership to a National Commissioner from Sokoto State, Ambassador Ahmed Wali.
The new Acting Chairman will serve in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a permanent Chairman by the President.
Speaking shortly after the handover, Jega foresaw bright futures for INEC and Nigeria. “We thank God Almighty for the opportunity to serve the country. The future is bright for the Commission and the Country,” Jega said.
He also added that he had formally informed the President, Muhammadu Buhari, that his tenure had expired. He ended by thanking the staff of the commission for their cooperation and support during his tenure.
Speculations are rife about who will now head the electoral umpire to consolidate the legacy left behind by the outgoing Chairman; who will be remembered for conducting two elections (2011 and 2015) that have been adjudged as some of the most credible in Nigerian history.