By Abba Auwalu Issa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has undergone a dramatic shake-up ahead of the 2023 general elections, ostensibly to restrategize and reposition the commission for the challenges and tasks ahead.
The Commission announced the redeployment of five Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and four directors, as well as the departure of Director (Voter Education and Publicity), Nick Dazang, in a statement signed by National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr Festus Okoye.
Read also: INEC fixes date for bye-election in Jigawa
Although the Commission did not provide specific reasons for the reorganization, it did state in a statement that it was just part of the Commission’s usual administrative posts.
The impacted commissioners and directors, according to the statement, include the RECs for Osun State, Olusegun Agbaje, who has been redeployed to Ogun State, and his Ogun counterpart, Prof AbdulGaniy Olayinka Raji, who will take over as REC Osun State.
Read also: NLC vowed to oppose any increase in electricity tariffs- Wabba
Dr. Cyril Omorogbe, the REC of Bayelsa State, has been redeployed to Kaduna State, while Dr. Emannuel Alex Hart, the REC of Cross River State, will transfer to Bayelsa State as the REC from his former Cross River office.
Read also: Abuja – Kaduna – Kano Highway Ready By 2023
The commission reassigned Victor Ayodele Aluko from Director (Administration) to Voter Education and Publicity, Mikah Thabbal Lakumna from Director (Security) to Administration, Nduh Lebari Samson from Secretary to the Commission to Director (Security), and Yakubu Mohammed Duku from Director Electoral Operations to Director (Administration).
The announcement, titled “Redeployment of five RECs and Four Directors,” said, “INEC has redeployed five RECs.” Olusegun Agbaje, the REC of Osun State, has been redeployed to Ogun State as part of the new postings. Prof AbdulGaniy Olayinka Raji, his counterpart in Ogun State, will take over as REC, Osun State, at the same time.
“In a similar line, Dr. Cyril Omorogbe, the REC of Bayelsa State, will assume his new duty as the REC of Cross River State, while Dr. Emannuel Alex Hart, the REC of Cross River State, will transfer to Bayelsa State. Dr. Asmau Sani Maikudi, the REC for Zamfara State, has also been sent to Kaduna State.
“Similarly, Nick Dazang, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, has taken a leave of absence. As a result, Victor Ayodele Aluko has been reallocated from Director (Administration) to Director (Voter Education and Publicity), and Mikah Thabbal Lakumna has been reassigned from Director (Administration) to Director (Administration) (Security).
Yakubu Mohammed Duku, Director in the Electoral Operations Department, travels to Niger State as the substantive Administrative Secretary. ‘Nduh Lebari Samson moves from the position of Secretary to the Commission to Director (Security).
‘By Monday, September 13, 2021, all handing/taking over activities should be completed. The redeployments are part of the Commission’s standard administrative postings,’ according to the statement.