Senate Orders Jega To Work, Talk Less

The Senate yesterday again advised Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),Prof Attahiru Jega to “talk less and do more work’’ in his effort at conducting  free, fair and credible elections in 2011.

The advice was given when Jega appeared before the Senate’s two committees on INEC and Ethics , Privileges and Public Petitions to make clarifications on comments allegedly credited to him by the media last Tuesday when he hosted EU delegation in Abuja.

Jega in his defence denied making the comments allegedly credited to him, even as he said the media quoted him out of context.

“I have always understood the requirement of my job as chairman of INEC to be that which requires dialogue, consultation and respect for all those we have to partner with for the success of the 2011 elections.

“I was therefore concerned when news reached me about the report which the Senate has asked me to clarify,’’ he said.

Jega said he only expressed concerns about conflicting reports in my presentation to the EU delegation but that his comments were reported out of context.

“I want to say there is no iota of truth in those reports,’’ Jega said and concluded that he had the greatest respect and treasured the partnership of the National Assembly in the task of Nigerians’ aspiration for a transparent election in 2011.

Sen. Adego Eferakaya (PDP-Delta) who expressed the Senate’s disapproval over thoughts or insinuations that the National Assembly was inept, advised Jega to“talk less and do more work”.

“I want to advise you as a professional colleague that if you talk less, it will be better because this is a sensitive period,’’ Eferakaya also a retired professor said.

However, Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Sen. Umar Hambagda, who chaired the session, asked Jega to make available to the committees his paper presentations made before the EU delegation.

The Senate had last Tuesday referred the matter to the two committees for investigation after Sen. Kanti Bello (PDP-Katsina) drew the attention of Senators to comments in the newspapers credited to Jega which inferred that the National Assembly was in the way of INEC from its slow deliberation in the amendment of the constitution.