Questions over redeployment of INEC directors

There are concerns over reported redeployment of directors heading key departments at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Our correspondent confirmed that the director heading Electoral Operations Department, Isah Magaji Gummi, has been moved to the Voter Registry Department while Mrs Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi, has been redeployed from her previous position as Administrative Secretary of INEC’s Lagos office is to head Electoral Operations.

Efforts to obtain INEC’s official position were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the commission’s Deputy Director of Publicity and National Commissioner in charge of Information Sam. Olugbadebo had yet to receive responses.

There are speculations that with the recent redeployment, most of the key departments are now being headed by people of the same ethnic stock.

A top official at the commission who prefers not to be named while confirming the posting of Gummi, however told our correspondent that such postings are routine and are done in phases even down to the local government levels.

He said “People can read meanings into it, but these are routine postings done for administrative purpose.”

The source however declined further comments on the postings saying they are not exactly as reported.

The reports of the purported changes have attracted attention because Electoral Operations is one of the commission’s key departments responsible for coordinating logistics and other activities central to the conduct of elections.

According to INEC’s Manual for Election Officials, the department oversees the planning and organisation of electoral activities, including the distribution of election materials, deployment and training of ad hoc staff, coordination of polling units and supervision of collation and returning officers.

The department also works with other relevant units and stakeholders to ensure compliance with electoral procedures and the effective conduct of elections across the country.

The reported movement of Gummi and the alleged appointment of Adeyemi-Showunmi to head the department have therefore raised questions about the rationale for the changes and the criteria that would guide such decisions, if confirmed.

Paul Ibe, spokesman to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, added to the concern while calling on the INEC chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, to address the concerns raised by the  redeployment  which he said suggests a disproportionate concentration of key positions at INEC Headquarters in favour of the South-West geopolitical zone.

He said, “given INEC’s constitutional responsibility to conduct free, fair and credible elections, Nigerians deserve a transparent explanation of this apparent imbalance and whether the appointments comply with the federal character principle.”

The ADC had earlier accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of engaging in ethnically motivated personnel postings ahead of the 2027 general elections  callinng on the electoral umpire to clarify allegations that recent postings and deployments within the commission were driven by sectional interests to favor officials from President Bola Tinubu’s South-West geopolitical zone.