Can Jega be trusted?

When then Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Professor  Attahiru Jega was nominated for Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, in 2010, there was palpable excitement because of Jega’s reputation and the public’s desire to move on from the catastrophic elections of 2007.
One writer observed, “Jega is a straightforward person. One only hopes that he can keep that consistency of straightforwardness and some level of principles that endeared him as a frontline member of the left movement in Nigeria. We do hope that he will not go the way of some other members who have turned themselves into state actors and begin to renounce the very principles they stand for.”
In retrospect, it seems those words had a prophetic ring. Today, watching Jega’s public engagements and mannerisms, it is clear that something is missing, misplaced, or broken. Gone is the fire, gone is the unmistakable sense of integrity that propelled him to national and international acclaim. Gone is the essential Jega.
Part of what made Jega a leading candidate for the INEC post was his membership of the Justice Uwais’ Electoral Reform Panel, where he famously said, “No doubt, the popular aspirations for credible, free, fair and popularly acceptable elections, which are a fundamental requirement for sustainable democratic development, would remain elusive unless and until we pay serious attention to electoral reforms”.
Jega added, “The reforms must bring about a credible and transparent electoral process with equally credible people to supervise these. Now more than ever before is the time to begin to get things right, and to stop repeating terrible mistakes of the past. And to get things right, we must deploy the right methods and the right people to use them”.
So highly regarded was Jega that Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomole, briefing newsmen after a National Council of State meeting, said, “The Council considered the recommendation of Professor Attahiru Jega for appointment as chairman of INEC and the council unanimously approved of it. We believe the president demonstrated courage and statesmanship in appointing someone who is not known to have any partisan political affiliation and a Nigerian that has distinguished himself in his present and past callings”.
Following public endorsement as he resumed at INEC, many Nigerians, especially from civil society groups saw Jega as the one man capable of orchestrating free, fair and transparent elections. Thus, several groups sent him what they hoped would help in designing a blueprint for free and fair elections.
Part of the recommendations included a wholesale redeployment of the top management of INEC and others who had been indicted for electoral fraud or collusion and replacing them with fresh, untainted and better qualified Nigerians. The contention was that working with the same group of people that also worked with Abel Goubadia and Muarice Iwu would be a dangerous trap and an endorsement of the pitiable elections of 2003 and 2007.
However, Jega not only ignored what might have been a starting point for conducting free and fair elections, but displayed a level of uncertainty that was out of character. It seems that, convinced about his invincibility to the antics of the electoral mafia, or thinking that he could mold them as he had molded a generation of students, Jega opted to work with Iwu’s carryovers.
Jega failed a number of early tests that should have raised the alarm bells, but so trusting were we that we assumed those early indicators would prepare the professor of political science for the most important assignment in his life: holding free and fair general elections, especially at the presidential level. We wanted candidates to win fairly so that the losing candidate would concede, and thus set precedence for future conduct.
With hindsight, it was not only naïve, but unintelligent to think that Jega could single-handedly take on and defeat the electoral mafia. If we thought the 2007 elections were appalling, there are no words in political science or history that would adequately describe the conduct of the 2011 elections. In some states, votes cast out-numbered registered voters; other states saw almost 100% turnout, a feat that not even Australia, where voting is compulsory, has ever managed.
With general elections less than one month away, my doubts about the integrity of the INEC chairman remains. I am not saying that Jega is a fraud or has become an appendage of the ruling party. I am not saying he has lost all sense of integrity. I am not suggesting he is being secretly blackmailed over one indiscretion or another because I have no evidence.
Of course I am disappointed with Jega’s body language in the presence of President Jonathan and his endorsement of clearly flawed elections in Anambra, Ekiti, and even Osun. But even those do not explain my sense of unease. For some reason, I am finding it difficult to trust Jega and INEC to hold elections that would be a reflection of the will of Nigerians. I hope my instincts are wrong.