Lawmakers Move To Sack Iwu

By Wale Adele - 23.02.2008

THE embattled Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu, is under a fresh attack as opposition lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly are bracing up for his eventual sack from the plum job.

Sources close to the plot told Saturday Tribune that a motion for Iwu’s removal had been drafted and signatures were being collected by the sponsors of the motion in the two chambers to ensure it has a smooth sail.

It was revealed that an Action Congress Representative from Adamawa State is the arrowhead of the move in the lower House, while a senator from the opposition party is coordinating the exercise in the upper house.

Many Nigerians have been calling for the sack of the INEC boss following the alleged shoddy manner the 2007 general election was handled by the commission.

At the peak of the criticism that trailed the election, Prof. Iwu had to take his media-damage-control campaign to the United States and the United Kingdom late last year where he told his audience that he and his men did their best, given the condition under which the elections were held.

He went further to accuse the opposition parties and the EU of putting his commission under severe pressure during the election.

Specifically, he said most of the political parties lacked internal democratic mechanism to make them operate well, while he said the EU wanted to bribe the commission in order to manipulate its operations.

As at Thursday, over 130 lawmakers had signed the document, while some PDP lawmakers said to be interested in the project, were already enlisted to join.

The constitutional requirements for the appointment and sack of INEC boss include the endorsement by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.