April 8, 2010
Despite the ongoing kicking and screaming by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, he can kiss the job goodbye.
Despite the ongoing kicking and screaming by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, he can kiss the job goodbye. Saharareporters has it on good authority that Acting President has assured the United States that Iwu will certainly be relieved of his post. A senior aide to US President Barack Obama has confirmed that the tenure of Nigeria’s notorious election chief, who has been sponsoring demonstrations in his own interest in Nigeria, will not be renewed no matter the circumstances.
Through his aide, Obama had made the open request that Iwu be dropped as a sign of Nigeria’s commitment to electoral reform. A Saharareporters source said that electoral reform and the insistence by the United States that Jonathan overhaul Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies formed the fulcrum of the intense negotiations to win a meeting between the two leaders when Jonathan arrives in Washington, DC this weekend. Our sources said Jonathan has a copy of the new names of INEC appointees including new commissioners ready to go to the Council of State for ratification to avoid any situation that would enable Iwu use his contacts in the Nigerian senate to scuttle his removal from office, if it is done unconstitutionally. The source also claimed that Jonathan may have zeroed-in on recently retired Supreme Court justice, George Adesola Oguntade to head INEC.
An aide to Jonathan also confirmed to Saharareporters that Obama is scheduled to meet Jonathan at 5 PM on Sunday in the American capital, but we could not independently confirm that schedule with the White House.
The removal of Iwu from INEC has been made a top priority by the Obama administration as it renewed its interest in Nigeria after Mr. Jonathan took power as “Acting President” following resolutions of the National Assembly two months ago.
Jonathan is expected to arrive in the US on Saturday to attend Obama’s international summit on nuclear non-proliferation, which will feature 40 Heads of State. Nigeria’s participation will signal deeper approval for Jonathan’s government not only with the United States, but within the international community.
Jonathan is expected to take the opportunity to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the margins of the summit with other world leaders. In recent years, Umaru Yar’Adua often avoided such opportunities, mostly on account ill health.
Jonathan is billed to return home to Nigeria on Tuesday.
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