Zakari’s appointment based on merit, says presidency

The presidency has described as unfounded the allegation that Amina Zakari was appointed as the acting chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because of being close to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Olisa Metuh, national publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made the allegation, demanding for her immediate sack.

Metuh said Zakari had sympathy for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and could use her office to work against the interest of the PDP at the election tribunals and in the 2016 gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

Though her tenure is billed to expire at the end of July, Metuh believes Buhari could make her the substantive chairman of the electoral body.

But Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, described the allegation as “baseless”, calling on Nigerians to disregard it.

“We have noted with regret, the latest tirade against President Muhammadu Buhari issued today by the PDP’s spokesman, Mr Olisa Metuh,” he said in a statement.

“Other than boring reporters at his press conference with a rehash of baseless allegations of inaction against the President, Mr Metuh clearly had nothing new to say apart from his charge of nepotism and partisanship in the appointment of the acting INEC chairman, which also lacks any factual foundation.

“President Buhari certainly did not overrule Prof. Attahiru Jega in appointing Mrs Amina Zakari as the acting INEC chairman, as Mr Metuh alleged.

“Prof. Jega’s purported handing over to another commissioner cannot be construed as an appointment because only the president has the constitutional authority, which he exercised to appoint Mrs Zakari as acting chairman of INEC.

“Contrary to Mr Metuh’s allegations, President Buhari’s appointment of Mrs Zakari as acting INEC chariman was based entirely on merit, her vast experience in the internal operations of INEC and the president’s commitment to affirmative action in support of gender equality, because, apart from being fully qualified for the position, Mrs Zakari was the only woman among the six commissioners considered.

“Due process was certainly followed in Mrs Zakari’s appointment. Mr Metuh’s spurious claims of her appointment having been influenced by personal relationship with the presidency and a governor in the north-west to pave the way for the APC at election tribunals should be disregarded by the public.

“The allegations are nothing but falsehoods contrived by Mr Metuh to unjustly denigrate a president popularly elected by Nigerians to undo the damage done to the nation by years of PDP rule.”