I won’t go on terminal leave – Jega

The Chairman of the Independent
National Electoral Commission, Prof.
Attahiru Jega, has said he does not
have any plan to embark on
terminal leave.
This was contrary to
unsubstantiated report that Jega
would proceed on a forced terminal
leave on March 1.
But Jega’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr.
Kayode Idowu, denied this saying
his boss was busy preparing for the
conduct of the elections.
He said, “Jega is busy preparing for
the elections and you are asking
about terminal leave. Does anyone
planning to conduct elections go
on terminal leave? There is nothing
like that.”
Idowu had in an interview on a TV
programme monitored in Lagos, on
Tuesday, said Jega’s appointment
was not guided by civil service
rules and would serve until the end
of his tenure on June 30.
He said the postponement of the
elections would make INEC better
prepared for the elections
scheduled for March 28 and April 11.
Idowu also denied the report that
Jega had resigned his appointment
due to pressure from the
Presidency.
Idowu said, “No, that’s
(resignation) is not true, he has not
resigned. He didn’t resign. It is a
mere rumour.”
Similarly, the minority leader of the
House of Representatives, Mr. Femi
Gbajabiamila, said Jega could not
be asked to go on a terminal leave
because he was not a civil servant.
He said, “I do not consider the
Chairman of INEC as a civil servant
subject to civil service rules the
same way I, as a member of the
House of Representatives, is not a
civil servant. There is a difference
between a civil servant and a public
servant or officer. Jega falls under
the latter.”
However, it was learnt that by
norm, political appointees had at
several times in the past been
ordered to go on terminal leave
even though they were not civil
servants.
The provisions of Public Service
Rules 100238 states that officers are
required to give three months
notice of their retirement from
service terminating on the
effective date of their retirement.
This means Jega might be forced to
proceed on terminal leave before
the elections.
For instance, the tenure of Jega’s
predecessor, Prof Maurice Iwu, was
due to expire on June 13, 2010 but
on April 28, 2010, President
Goodluck Jonathan, ordered Iwu to
proceed on terminal leave.

Story! Story!! Story !!! We are tired .