The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, is expected to bow out of office next Tuesday.
Similarly, six National Commissioners of INEC, who were appointed at the same time with Jega, are also to go with him.
This was confirmed on Thursday in an INEC press statement in Abuja.
The INEC Chairman, who though is eligible for reappointment, was recently quoted in the media to have said he would not be interested to serve for a second term.
The National Commissioners, whose tenure of office will be expiring on the that same day with the INEC Chairman, are Colonel M.K. Hammanga (Rtd), Adamawa State (North East); Dr. Ishmael Jikiri Igbani, Rivers State (South South); Prof. Lai Olorode, Osun State (South West); Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor, Abia State (South East); Thelma Amata Iremiren, Delta State (South South); and Engr. Dr. Nuru A. Yakubu, Yobe State (North East).
The National Commissioners, it would be recalled, were sworn into office on June 30, 2010 by the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
The tenure of four other National Commissioners of INEC will also expire by July and August this year.
While Dr. Abdulkadir S. Oniyangi, Kwara State (North Central) and Amina Bala Zakari, Jigawa State, (North West) will leave office on July 21, Dr. Chris O. Iyimoga, Nasarawa State (North Central) and Ambassador Mohammed Ahmad Wali, Sokoto State (North West) will bow out of service on August 11.
The tenure of 16 Resident Electoral Commissioners has already expired and they have since left office.
Those whose tenure has already expired are Ahmad Makama (Bauchi); Haliru A. Tambuwal (Sokoto); Abdullahi Umar Danyaya, (Niger); Abubakar U.G. Wara (Kebbi); Mr. Mike Igini (Delta); Prof. Selina Omagha Oko (Ebonyi); Hussaini Ahmed Mahuta (Katsina); Dr. A.L. Ogunmola (Oyo); Alhaji Ibrahim Zarewa (Kano); Prof. Tukur Sa’ad (Adamawa); Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo (Kogi); Kassim Gana Gaidam (Yobe); Mr. Timothy Ibitoye (Osun); Amb. Dr. Rufus Akeju (Lagos); Prof. C.E. Onukaogu (Abia); and Ibrahim Bagobiri Marafa (Zamfara).
The Commission’s statement however made it clear that Jega’s retirement and that of other commissioners will not affect the operations of the commission.
The INEC posited that those left at the Commission can form a quorum.
The commission based its reason on section 159 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which states that not less than one-third of the total number of members shall form a quorum during meeting.
INEC is composed of 12 National Commissioners and 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners.
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to appoint their replacement before the Kogi State gubernatorial election, which is expected to hold in December this year.