Photo: Prof Attahiru Jega
A group, Jega Supporters Movement of Nigeria, has endorsed a former national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, to contest for the 2023 presidential election and called on him to accept their demand.
The chairman of the group, Comrade Ahamad Tijjani. who made the call in a statement in Kano, described Jega as the best choice for president in 2023 based on his achievements in the academic sector and as the chairman of INEC.
Tijjani described Jega as a man with strong sense of ethics and morality that exhibits the type of leadership Nigerians need to move the country forward.
He said, “Professor Attahiru Jega as INEC chairman founded security in the voting system such that the electorate felt comfortable to come out and vote. Everyone can remember how voters were accredited early in the day and how voting took place at the same time.
“Indeed, under Jega’s stewardship as chairman of INEC Nigeria witnessed the most peaceful and successful election ever in 2015 where an incumbent president handed over to the opposition candidate.
“He raised Nigeria’s democratic reputation abroad with the way he enhanced and strengthened the INEC through various modifications he introduced.
“On appointment at INEC he addressed the issue of lack of integrity of the voters register in the country by totally overhauling it.
He also founded new polling stations out of the overwhelmed ones in place,” he said.
Tijjani also touched on Jega’s performance as a labour activist and academician describing him as a popular and renowned labour activist.
“His tenure as the vice chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano (BUK) brought about a lot of transformations and raised the institution to the level of the best university then, according to the Nigerian Universities Commission’s (NUC) rating.
“He was a determined opponent of the military rule in the 1990s who fought tirelessly for democracy in the country as president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“Jega had proved himself to be a man of strong sense of ethics and morality with exemplary leadership qualities of courage and consistency in the fight for the autonomy in the academic sector.
“We saw what he achieved in 1992 on the issue of welfare agreement and salary increase as well as increased funding of the universities in Nigeria.
“It was Jega’s ASUU team that recommended the idea of Education Tax on Companies that gave birth to the Education Trust Fund (ETF) through a 1993 decree.
“With these exemplary performances and many more not mentioned, we call on Jega to accept our invitation for him to join the presidential race come 2023 and for Nigerians, men, women, young and old, North and South to come together for him.
“We are confident that he can rebuild the battered Nigerian economy, education, security situation, trade and others and also reset Nigeria on the path of greatness again. Let’s keep all sentiments aside and face reality,” the group said.
