The fate of Prof. Attahiru Jega as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission will be determined by the existing laws guiding the Federal Civil Service, according to the Supervising Minister of Information, Edem Duke.
Duke said that the law guiding the Civil Service would be the supreme determinant in this case except when President Goodluck Jonathan who appointed him in the first place decides to the contrary.
Duke, while clarifying this point on Friday, however, said the INEC boss would not be sacked as being insinuated in some quarters.
The All Progressives Congress has variously alleged a grand plot to eremove Prof Jega by the ruling party.
On Thursday, the party’s caucus at the Senate accentuated the Jega removal allegation, saying that the by the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party would under the plot compel Jega to proceed on terminal leave next week.
Duke dismissed the allegation saying he was anchoring his position on the recent assurance given by President Goodluck Jonathan during the last presidential media chat.
Duke maintained that it is natural for anybody who reaches the terminal date in service to ease out, adding that everything is now “within the terrain of the President and he has spoken.
“The issue of the INEC Chairman, I want to align myself with Mr. President on that.
“This is not to say that if it is the time for the INEC chairman to ease out of office, the natural civil service law would not be allowed to take its course.” Duke spoke with newsmen in Abuja on Friday. He called on the media to focus on issues that could promote unity and peaceful co-existence.
