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Professor Attahiru Jega is the INEC Chairman. Sometime back, he spoke to the Innovations for Successful Societies, Bobst Center for Peace and Justice in New Jersey, USA on why he agreed to take the job. In his words, “Well I felt greatly honored that my country wanted me to contribute in dealing with the challenges of conducting free, fair, and credible elections. I felt when contacted that I had the adequate preparations to be able to do the job. So it was not a question of difficulty in saying no, it was a question of feeling honored that my country wanted me to do a difficult job and that I felt adequately prepared to be able to do that. I have been a scholar. I have studied Nigerian politics and the elections and I was privileged to have served in the Justice (Muhammed) Lawal Uwais Electoral Reform Committee where we discussed all the challenges of conducting elections in Nigeria and made recommendations about how best to reform the process. So when after that I was now asked to come and chair the Independent National Electoral Commission, I felt greatly honored. I knew it was going to be a difficult job, but with the benefit of hindsight I think I underestimated the challenges. I have no regrets. I think I have done my best under very difficult circumstances.”
When asked how he managed the reputation of INEC which some of its staff were reportedly said to be corrupt, “I would not say that I created a parallel structure but I introduced checks and balances. I also made it very clear to the staff of INEC that when we came in as a new commission that we were going to do things the right way as expected of us, comply fully with the laws and rules and regulations and we expected everybody to comply. We made it very clear that we will ensure that we do not do anything wrong and that we do not expect any staff to do anything wrong and whoever does anything wrong will have himself or herself to blame. So basically we created, I believe, a context for doing things right and for ensuring that there is appropriate reward or punishment depending on how people conduct themselves. I think that by being true to our words, by doing what we said, we have perhaps been able to also inspire others to live by good example.
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