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Attahiru Jega is voted Newswatch Man of the Year for successfully breaking the nation’s long chain of frustrations over its failed electoral process

Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, professor of political science, radical scholar and chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is a man of rare courage.  In June, 2010, when he was appointed the chairman of INEC, it excited much public interest and support. Many Nigerians attested to his personal integrity, strength of character and indefatigable spirit.

Based on his antecedents as the president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, between 1988 and 1994, he was expected to bring enormous confidence and credibility to an electoral body that had suffered very serious credibility crisis in the past. Jega had no illusions about the importance of the assignment he had been given to do for his country. He was very much aware of the unsavoury history of elections in the country and the anxiety of most Nigerians that he should use his position as the chief electoral umpire to conduct credible elections in 2011.

Indeed, Jega told Newswatch that when he was offered the appointment, he took time to reflect on it. He also consulted some of his friends and family members, many of whom were worried that the integrity he had built over the years may be wasted over an unsuccessful foray in government service.  They wondered whether the distinguished professor of political science could overcome the booby traps that affected his predecessors and keep his integrity intact since the electoral commission had the nasty habit of burying its bosses with opprobrium.

But Jega decided to accept the tough job because he knew it was a formidable challenge and was determined to find a lasting solution to the problem in the Nigerian electoral system.

He literally put his hard-earned integrity on the line to do what many considered as a very difficult national assignment. “I said, well, what is integrity if it cannot be tested? Can I just sit back and say because I’ve integrity, I can no longer do anything; I do not want to do anything for it not to be affected. But if I have the integrity for Nigerians to say come and do this thing, then I should go and do that because if I do not do it, what then is the value of that integrity,” Jega told Newswatch.

On assumption of office as INEC chairman, Jega was overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems he met on ground, especially as it was just a few months to the general elections and there was no reliable voters’ register.  It was clear that there were many obstacles he must have to surmount to achieve his goal of conducting credible polls in 2011. But as a pragmatic radical, Jega was confident that he would succeed.

As a thoroughbred political scientist, he restructured INEC, compiled a fresh voters’ register that was an improvement on what he inherited and declared that the commission was set to hold the National Assembly election on April 2, 2011. However, it turned out that the late arrival of electoral materials marred that exercise. But Jega    had to quickly rally round to overcome the initial setbacks and challenges which resulted to the initial abrupt cancellation and postponement of the elections from April 2 to April 9.  The postponement of the election prevented what would have been a fiasco.

Understandably, the postponement elicited an outpouring of national outrage and international condemnation.  But, it was to Jega’s credit that instead of being defeated by such initial setbacks, he took advantage of them by taking full responsibility and apologising publicly to Nigerians. Though hurt by the development, some observers said his attitude confirmed that the era of impunity was over and that the journey to true democracy may have commenced.

Between April 9 and April 26, 2011, when the general elections were eventually held, Jega and his team at INEC had succeeded in conducting elections that were largely considered credible and peaceful. It was indeed, a momentous development in Nigeria’s chequered history of elections. He proved his mettle, defended his integrity and vindicated the confidence reposed in his intellectual ability by many Nigerians to renew the political space in the country. By the success of the 2011 elections, Jega has restored power to the people. He has restored the integrity of the electoral process and the political legitimacy of the Nigerian state. Besides, he has restored the hope and confidence of the Nigerian people in elections and in the democratic process.

Jega and his team of INEC officials carried out the monumental national assignment effectively and most efficiently, shaming cynics and sceptics.  He has broken the jinx and the spell which had bedevilled Nigeria’s electoral process.

 Since the successful conclusion of the three-pronged 2011 general elections in Nigeria, the profile of Jega, the chief electoral umpire, has continued to rise. Local and international election   monitors adjudged and pronounced the elections as free and fair. Even, President Barak Obama of the United States described the elections as remarkably good. Both local and international observers commended Jega for conducting credible 2011 polls. To many an observer, Jega has through the successful conduct of credible polls retained his integrity and written his name in gold in the history of Nigeria.

One thing that was missing in most of the previous electoral umpires since the Second Republic is the lack of integrity among most of the appointees to the office of chairman of the successive electoral commissions.  This singular factor is perhaps what stands Jega out. He has proved that he is not only a radical scholar but a true patriot.

 Ever humble and unassuming, Jega described the success of the  2011 elections in Nigeria, as a product of hard work, careful planning, and political maturity of the electorate as well as the determination of Nigerians for sustainability of democracy in the country. While acknowledging the international community’s reference to the elections as the freest, most fair and most transparent in the history of the country, he conceded that the electoral process was not yet at a perfect state. He believes that lessons learned from these elections have been gathered, and would help improve the dynamics of the next elections.

Obviously, Jega has in words and deeds started a new path for Nigeria’s electoral process and deepened democracy in the country.  It is for these reasons that the INEC chairman was voted as Newswatch Man of the Year.

The distinguished scholar’s pedigree was greatly shaped by his upbringing. He was born on January 11, 1957.He attended Sabon Gari Town Primary School from 1963 to 1969. In 1970, Jega enrolled at the Government Secondary School, Birnin-Kebbi from where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate, WASC, and the General Certificate Examination, GCE, O’Level in 1974.

On leaving secondary school in 1974, he proceeded to the Abdullahi Bayero College, ABC, Kano for his Advanced Level Certificate, after which he gained admission into the Abdullahi Bayero College of ABU Zaria, for his undergraduate studies. He graduated in 1978 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Political Science.

Jega’s quest for academic excellence took him to Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA in 1980 where he obtained his masters degree in 1981 and PhD in 1985 in Political Science specialising in Political Economy. In 1979, after the mandatory National Youth Service in the then Cross River State, he took up appointment as a lecturer with Bayero University Kano.

Jega’s rich academic career saw him serving at various times as: visiting research fellow, University of Stockholm, Sweden (Swedish Institute Fellowship) in 1994, Oxford, from April to September, 1996, deputy vice chancellor (academic), Bayero University Kano, from 1995-1996

 He was acting director, Centre for Research and Documentation, CRD, Kano, from October to December 1998 and chairman, Education Trust Fund Expert Committee on research grants.

Jega attained the peak of his career in the academia on September 6, 2004, when he was appointed the vice chancellor, Bayero University, Kano. He occupied this position until his appointment as the chairman of INEC in June, 2010.

Jega is a recipient of many academic and honorary awards, including: the National Merit Award of Officer of the Federal Republic, OFR, in 2005; the fellowship award by the National Association for Research and Development 2006; Award for Academic Excellence in Political Science by Bayero University College 1977/78 and “Man of the Year” Award by Newswatch in 1993. Certainly, Jega is a pragmatist who has used his intellect to render invaluable service to his professional field and his fatherland.