President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that the conduct of Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections was better than those of the presidential and National Assembly polls.
Before he gave the order, after collecting his Certificate of Return at INEC’s Electoral Institute in Abuja, the President suspended the Minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho.
Jonathan, who commended INEC’s leadership for its efforts so far, said the conduct of the April 26 governorship and state assembly elections was also important to the country.
The President also advised the commission to start preparations for the 2015 general elections. He said that many Nigerians and the international community had thought that it would be difficult for Nigerians to elect their leaders without rancour.
However, he stated that feelers from the media, the international community and observers had shown that such a notion was not true.
Jonathan said, “It is God that made today (Tuesday) possible. I appreciate Nigerians for the cooperation they have given INEC, the government and for coming out to vote for us.
“This is a new beginning in our electoral process. The chairman of INEC (Prof. Attahiru Jega), his team and all the ad-hock staff have made Nigeria proud.
“For some time now, our elections used to be controversial according to local and foreign observers. But now, these observers are giving us pass mark.
“That has to be because of the competence of the INEC chairman and the staff who refused to compromise their positions.
“This is a beginning of economic development and major changes in the polity. The governorship election should be better.”
Jonathan expressed sadness that some people went on the rampage in some parts of the country.
Promising to ensure that such violence did not happen in the country again, he disclosed that the government would take inventory of the property destroyed and those killed.
But he was silent on whether those who lost their relations or property would be compensated or not.
The President appealed to political leaders in the country to speak out and condemn the violence.
Jonathan, however, added that reports at his disposal showed that majority of those involved in the riots were unemployed youths.
He promised that government would make sure that all it created jobs in order to engage the youths in productive ventures.
Earlier, Jega had handed over the certificates to both Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo. Both the President and his deputy signed to show that they had collected them.
The commission had on Monday declared Jonathan the winner of the presidential election.
But just as the ceremony was ongoing, news spread that Iheanacho had been suspended by Jonathan because “his personal and official conduct had led to lapses in the political leadership of the Interior ministry.”
A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, said the suspension was with immediate effect.
The statement stressed that Iheanacho’s continued leadership of the ministry was not in the interest of the nation.
Jonathan consequently directed Iheanacho to hand over to the Minister of Labour and Productivitiy, Mr. Emeka Wogu, who will oversee the ministry of interior, alongside his original portfolio.
The statement reads, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has ordered the immediate suspension of Capt. Emmenuel Iheanacho as Minister of Interior and member of the Federal Executive Council.
“Captain Iheanacho has been directed to hand over to the Minister of Labour, Mr. Emeka Wogu, who will, in addition to his present portofolio, oversee that ministry.
“Captain Iheanacho’s suspension comes as a result of a number of lapses in the political leadership of the ministry traceable to his personal and official conduct.
“For now, his continued manning of the ministry is not in the interest of the nation.”
Following the development, Imo State is the only state without a minister in the Federal Executive Council.
Interestingly, the state governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, met Jonathan in the Presidential Villa on Monday night.
Facts have, however, emerged that Iheanacho’s removal had a political undertone.
It was gathered in Abuja that the President succumbed to pressure from Ohakim, a known political foe of the minister, and the South-East Zonal Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The zonal chapter of the party had vowed to ensure that the minister was “adequately punished” for allegedly working against the party’s interest during the National Assembly elections on April 9 in Imo State.
The PDP National Vice-Chairman (South-East) , Chief Olisa Metuh, had told journalists in Enugu that the Imo PDP state chairman had forwarded a petition to the national headquarters of the party against the minister.
He said, “The party received reports from people in the field who complained that Iheanacho claimed he had the support of Jonathan to work against candidates of the party.
“In the case of Iheanacho, we received reports that he and some of our members worked against the interest of the party in Imo State and some other states in the South-East during the National Assembly election.”
Owerri Senatorial zone where Iheanacho hails from was won by Mrs. Chris Anyanwu, the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Besides, when Jonathan visited his presidential campaign office in December, 2010, security men barred Iheanacho’s convoy from entering the premises, citing an order from above, which was interpreted to be a directive from the governor.
Similarly, the Imo State House of Assembly had within the same period, passed a resolution, demanding the sacking of the minister by Jonathan.
The legislature urged the governor to take necessary steps to ensure that Iheanacho was replaced with a person from the Orlu area of the state.
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