The immediate past Chairman of the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, has
been nominated winner of this year’s edition of the
Charles T. Mannat Democracy award.
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES,
based in the United States, administrators of the award,
will present the award to Mr. Jega and other awardees at
an elaborate ceremony in Washington D.C. on September
29.
Every year, IFES, a leading pro-democracy organisation
that advocates improved electoral systems around the
world, recognizes accomplishments of individuals in
advancing freedom and democracy.
The organisation does this by bestowing awards on these
outstanding individuals in honour of past chairs of its
Board of Directors: Charles T. Manatt and Patricia Hutar,
and Senior Adviser, Joe C. Baxter.
Mr. Jega would be honoured under the Charles T. Manatt
Democracy Award category.
Three individuals are honoured each year in that
category: one U.S. Democrat, one Republican and a
member of the international community who demonstrate
unwavering commitment to democracy and human rights.
Mr. Jega is the international figure chosen for the award
this year, and he is being honoured for leading INEC to
conduct one of the most credible elections in Nigeria’s
history, even in the face of intimidation and sabotage by
some of his own staff and officials of the past
administration.
Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and
Congressman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) are to be honoured
alongside Mr. Jega.
They will receive the awards at a special ceremony, co-
chaired by IFES Board Director and Baker & Hostetler LLP
Partner, Ambassador Tom McDonald and Manatt, Phelps
& Phillips LLP Partner June L. DeHart on September 29,
in Washington D.C.
“Chairman Jega’s leadership was instrumental to
Nigeria’s successful general elections in 2015,” said IFES
President and CEO, Bill Sweeney.
“He deserves full credit for his efforts to increase the
credibility and transparency of the electoral process under
extreme logistical challenges, such as terrorist threats
from Boko Haram, where failure could prove the catalyst
for predicted election violence.”.
Mr. Jega’s expert management of the 2015 general
elections positioned him as a credible election
administrator, IFES said.
“The complex Nigerian electoral environment consisted of
69 million eligible voters, 155,000 polling booths and
700,000 temporary staff deployed across the country.
These recent elections resulted in the country’s first
democratic transfer of power.”
“I am deeply honoured to accept the 2015 Democracy
Award from IFES,” Mr. Jega said in response to his
nomination for the award.
“INEC’s long-standing partnership with IFES in
preparation for the 2015 general elections resulted in a
credible process accepted by Nigerian citizens and the
international community. These elections have put
Nigeria on the right path toward democratic stability.”
Mr. Jega, who left office as INEC Chairman on June 30,
has returned to his lecturing job at the Bayero University
Kano, where he was also a Vice Chancellor before he was
appointed INEC boss in June 2010 by former President
Goodluck Jonathan.
Until his appointment as vice chancellor, he lectured in
the department of political science.
He once served as national president of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities [ASUU].
Mr. Jega remains the only chairman of the electoral body
to organise two national elections – 2011 and 2015
elections.
Sometime in March, Mr. Jega indicated he would not
accept tenure renewal.
“I am grateful to God,” he said at the time. “I was asked
to come and contribute my own quota to the national
development and I have done my bit to the best of my
ability.”
National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, has
been nominated winner of this year’s edition of the
Charles T. Mannat Democracy award.
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES,
based in the United States, administrators of the award,
will present the award to Mr. Jega and other awardees at
an elaborate ceremony in Washington D.C. on September
29.
Every year, IFES, a leading pro-democracy organisation
that advocates improved electoral systems around the
world, recognizes accomplishments of individuals in
advancing freedom and democracy.
The organisation does this by bestowing awards on these
outstanding individuals in honour of past chairs of its
Board of Directors: Charles T. Manatt and Patricia Hutar,
and Senior Adviser, Joe C. Baxter.
Mr. Jega would be honoured under the Charles T. Manatt
Democracy Award category.
Three individuals are honoured each year in that
category: one U.S. Democrat, one Republican and a
member of the international community who demonstrate
unwavering commitment to democracy and human rights.
Mr. Jega is the international figure chosen for the award
this year, and he is being honoured for leading INEC to
conduct one of the most credible elections in Nigeria’s
history, even in the face of intimidation and sabotage by
some of his own staff and officials of the past
administration.
Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and
Congressman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) are to be honoured
alongside Mr. Jega.
They will receive the awards at a special ceremony, co-
chaired by IFES Board Director and Baker & Hostetler LLP
Partner, Ambassador Tom McDonald and Manatt, Phelps
& Phillips LLP Partner June L. DeHart on September 29,
in Washington D.C.
“Chairman Jega’s leadership was instrumental to
Nigeria’s successful general elections in 2015,” said IFES
President and CEO, Bill Sweeney.
“He deserves full credit for his efforts to increase the
credibility and transparency of the electoral process under
extreme logistical challenges, such as terrorist threats
from Boko Haram, where failure could prove the catalyst
for predicted election violence.”.
Mr. Jega’s expert management of the 2015 general
elections positioned him as a credible election
administrator, IFES said.
“The complex Nigerian electoral environment consisted of
69 million eligible voters, 155,000 polling booths and
700,000 temporary staff deployed across the country.
These recent elections resulted in the country’s first
democratic transfer of power.”
“I am deeply honoured to accept the 2015 Democracy
Award from IFES,” Mr. Jega said in response to his
nomination for the award.
“INEC’s long-standing partnership with IFES in
preparation for the 2015 general elections resulted in a
credible process accepted by Nigerian citizens and the
international community. These elections have put
Nigeria on the right path toward democratic stability.”
Mr. Jega, who left office as INEC Chairman on June 30,
has returned to his lecturing job at the Bayero University
Kano, where he was also a Vice Chancellor before he was
appointed INEC boss in June 2010 by former President
Goodluck Jonathan.
Until his appointment as vice chancellor, he lectured in
the department of political science.
He once served as national president of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities [ASUU].
Mr. Jega remains the only chairman of the electoral body
to organise two national elections – 2011 and 2015
elections.
Sometime in March, Mr. Jega indicated he would not
accept tenure renewal.
“I am grateful to God,” he said at the time. “I was asked
to come and contribute my own quota to the national
development and I have done my bit to the best of my
ability.”
No comments:
Post a Comment