Attahiru Jega
Encyclopedia
Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega is a Nigeria
n academic and Vice Chancellor of Bayero University
, Kano
.
On 8 June 2010 he was nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan
as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), subject to Senate confirmation, as a replacement for Professor Maurice Iwu
, who vacated the post on 28 April 2010.
, Kebbi State
.
He attended Sabon Gari Town Primary School, Jega
between 1963 and 1969 and proceeded to Government Secondary School, Birnin Kebbi
and then was admitted into The Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria
's Bayero University College, Kano in 1974, graduating in 1979 with a Second Class Upper Division B.Sc. degree in Political Science.
He worked as a teaching assistant at Bayero University, then won a fellowship at Northwestern University
, Evanston, Illinois
in the United States
(1981-1984) where he earned a PhD in Political Sciences.
He returned to the Political Science Department in Bayero University in 1984 as a lecturer.
Other appointments included visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos (March 1992 - March 1993), visiting Research Fellow, Department of Political Science, University of Stockholm, Sweden
(1994), Deputy Vice-chancellor (Academic), Bayero University (1995 - 1996) and Director, Centre for Democratic Research and Training, Bayero University (2000 - 2004).
Jega was appointed Vice Chancellor of Bayero University in 2005.
(ASUU), and was a determined opponent of the Babangida
military government in the early 1990s.
Politically leaning towards the left, as ASUU President he was closely associated with the Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC), and continued that connection throughout his career. On 29 April 2010 he was guest lecturer for the NLC May Day celebration where he presented a paper on 50 Years of Nationhood: Challenges of Good Democratic Governance, Credible Election and the Working Class.
He is widely seen as an astute intellectual with a strong sense of ethics and morality.
Jega was appointed a member of the Justice Mohammed Uwais
Electoral Reform Committee, which submitted a report on 11 December 2008 with recommendations that included establishing commissions to deal with Electoral Offences, Constituency Delimitation and Political Parties Registration and Regulation.
The committee also recommended proportional representation and that the INEC head should be appointed by the judiciary rather than the President.
, Muhammadu Buhari
, Ibrahim Babangida
, Abdulsalami Abubakar
, Ernest Shonekan
, Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Shagari
.
The Senate President David Mark
, Speaker of the House of Representatives Oladimeji Bankole, and most of the state Governors also attended the meeting.
Unanimous approval by the council of the nominee for this critical appointment avoided controversy about whether or not the President should appoint the chairman of the INEC.
Reactions to the announcement from a broad spectrum of political leaders and organizations were positive, although some voiced concern that it could be too late to implement real reforms before the 2011 elections.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n academic and Vice Chancellor of Bayero University
Bayero University
Bayero University Kano is a university situated in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria. It was founded in 1977, when it was renamed from Bayero University College and upgraded from university college to university; in 1980 it ceased functioning as a faculty of the Ahmadu Bello University...
, Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
.
On 8 June 2010 he was nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
(INEC), subject to Senate confirmation, as a replacement for Professor Maurice Iwu
Maurice Iwu
Maurice Mmaduakolam Iwu is a Nigerian Professor of Pharmacognosy who was appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission in June 2005, and was removed from office in April 2010.-Background:...
, who vacated the post on 28 April 2010.
Birth and academic career
Jega was born on 11 January 1957 in JegaJega, Nigeria
Jega is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Jega.It has an area of 891 km² and a population of 193,352 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 863....
, Kebbi State
Kebbi State
Kebbi State is a state in north-western Nigeria with its capital at Birnin Kebbi. The state was formed from part of Sokoto State in 1991. Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State, Niger State, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin. It has a total area of...
.
He attended Sabon Gari Town Primary School, Jega
Jega, Nigeria
Jega is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Jega.It has an area of 891 km² and a population of 193,352 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 863....
between 1963 and 1969 and proceeded to Government Secondary School, Birnin Kebbi
Birnin Kebbi
Birnin Kebbi is a city located in northwestern Nigeria. It is the capital city of Kebbi State and headquarters of the Gwandu Emirate. As of 2007 the city has an estimated population of 115,547....
and then was admitted into The Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University is the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, second only to Cairo University, Egypt. It is situated in Zaria. It was founded on October 4, 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria....
Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
's Bayero University College, Kano in 1974, graduating in 1979 with a Second Class Upper Division B.Sc. degree in Political Science.
He worked as a teaching assistant at Bayero University, then won a fellowship at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1981-1984) where he earned a PhD in Political Sciences.
He returned to the Political Science Department in Bayero University in 1984 as a lecturer.
Other appointments included visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos (March 1992 - March 1993), visiting Research Fellow, Department of Political Science, University of Stockholm, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(1994), Deputy Vice-chancellor (Academic), Bayero University (1995 - 1996) and Director, Centre for Democratic Research and Training, Bayero University (2000 - 2004).
Jega was appointed Vice Chancellor of Bayero University in 2005.
Political activity
Jega is a former President of the Academic Staff Union of UniversitiesAcademic Staff Union of Universities
The Academic Staff Union of Universities is a Nigerian union of university academic staff, founded in 1978, with a history of militant action.-Foundation:...
(ASUU), and was a determined opponent of the Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
military government in the early 1990s.
Politically leaning towards the left, as ASUU President he was closely associated with the Nigeria Labour Congress
Nigeria Labour Congress
Nigeria Labour Congress is an umbrella organisation for trade unions in Nigeria. It was founded in 1978 following a merger of four different organisations: Nigeria Trade Union Congress , Labour Unity Front , United Labour Congress and Nigeria Workers Council . The numerous affiliated unions were...
(NLC), and continued that connection throughout his career. On 29 April 2010 he was guest lecturer for the NLC May Day celebration where he presented a paper on 50 Years of Nationhood: Challenges of Good Democratic Governance, Credible Election and the Working Class.
He is widely seen as an astute intellectual with a strong sense of ethics and morality.
Jega was appointed a member of the Justice Mohammed Uwais
Mohammed Uwais
Mohammed Lawal Uwais was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 1995 until 2006. Later he chaired a commission that published a controversial report on electoral reform.Uwais is the son of the Chief Alkali, and later Waziri of Zaria emirate....
Electoral Reform Committee, which submitted a report on 11 December 2008 with recommendations that included establishing commissions to deal with Electoral Offences, Constituency Delimitation and Political Parties Registration and Regulation.
The committee also recommended proportional representation and that the INEC head should be appointed by the judiciary rather than the President.
INEC nomination
Jega's nomination as INEC Chairman followed approval by a meeting of the National Council of State called by President Jonathan and attended by former heads of state Yakubu GowonYakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
, Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
, Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
, Abdulsalami Abubakar
Abdulsalami Abubakar
General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar is a Nigerian general who was President of Nigeria from June 9, 1998 until May 29, 1999. He succeeded Sani Abacha upon Abacha's death. It was during Abubakar's leadership that Nigeria adopted its new constitution on May 5, 1999, which provided for multiparty...
, Ernest Shonekan
Ernest Shonekan
Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan is a British trained Nigerian lawyer, industrialist, politician and traditional chieftain. He was appointed as interim president of Nigeria by General Ibrahim Babangida on 26 August 1993. Babangida resigned under pressure to cede control to a democratic government...
, Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Shagari
Shehu Shagari
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
.
The Senate President David Mark
David Mark
David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark is the President of the Senate of Nigeria and Senator for the Benue South constituency of Benue State. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party ....
, Speaker of the House of Representatives Oladimeji Bankole, and most of the state Governors also attended the meeting.
Unanimous approval by the council of the nominee for this critical appointment avoided controversy about whether or not the President should appoint the chairman of the INEC.
Reactions to the announcement from a broad spectrum of political leaders and organizations were positive, although some voiced concern that it could be too late to implement real reforms before the 2011 elections.