‘Jonathan Meant Well For Nigeria’s Democracy,’ Jega Lauds Ex-President

Prof. Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has extolled the virtues of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as a leader who “meant well for democracy in our country.”

Professor Jega told Jamie Hitchen of the Africa Research Institute in an interview that Jonathan never “personally interfered with the Commission’s work” throughout his tenure.

The former INEC chairman, however, noted that certain persons under the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tried to discourage the Commision’s decision to use card readers in the run-up to the 2015 general elections.

According to Jega, the former president ensured that INEC was well funded.

“The administration of Goodluck Jonathan, president from 2010 to 2015, never gave any reason to suspect that there was a deliberate and wilful attempt to emasculate the funding of INEC.

“For this they should be applauded. No situation arose where we had to go cap-in-hand to the executive looking for funding and I must add that when supplementary funding was needed, it was nearly always forthcoming.

“For most of the time during our tenure, President Jonathan tried not to personally interfere with the Commission’s work.

“Only in the run-up to the 2015 election did his government and ruling political party seek to interfere with the decision of INEC to use electronic card readers.

“We were able to remind them that they had supported the idea and funded it. Overall I think that President Jonathan meant well for democracy in our country, a view strengthened by the gracious way he conceded electoral defeat in 2015,” he said.