There is an impending crisis at the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) over the recent directive by its Chairman, Alhaji Attahiru Jega, to top officials of the Commission who still have up to two years in service to resign and get full severance pay or risk becoming irrelevant in the Commission.
There had been little objection to the package when it was unfolded by Jega, mostly for fear of possible victimization. However, those affected now insisting that Jega has no power to do so and have even threatened legal action against the INEC boss.
Sources at the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja say that Jega had at a meeting on Friday, told the top officials, mostly directors, that as part of the plans for the smooth conduct of the 2015 elections, it had been resolved that all officials still having about two more years of service would have to go with their full entitlement or, in the alternative, be redeployed, while their juniors would assume their positions nationwide.
It is speculated that this is to allow the junior officers understand the demands of their jobs before the elections in order to forestall a situation where those in the offices now would retire too soon before the elections, which will not give enough time for a new person in the office to learn his duties soon enough.