The challenges before Amina Zakari

The appointment of Amina Zakari as the acting chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Muhammadu Buhari has generated a lot of debate from within and outside the country. Some people see her appointment as a welcome development, while other people are against it because of partisan, gender and other trivial reasons. […]

The appointment of Amina Zakari as the acting chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Muhammadu Buhari has generated a lot of debate from within and outside the country. Some people see her appointment as a welcome development, while other people are against it because of partisan, gender and other trivial reasons. However, gender equality activists and advocates of good leadership are unanimous in approving Amina’s appointment.
Time has come for Nigerians to be fair, just and balance in judging issues. Amina’s appointment is a product of merit and fairness- The PDP led government under former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed her as INEC national commissioner, while the APC led government under Muhammadu Buhari elevated her to chair the commission. Ideally, Nigerians expected the Buhari government not to elevate her, but the government look beyond politics- Buhari must have seen her qualities in terms of honesty and merit. Amina Zakari’s appointment should serve as a lesson to all and sundry, including the ruling party – All Progressives Congress (APC). Merit now supersedes any other thing when it comes to appointments. 
 Amina’s appointment will for sure serve as an extension of Professor Attahiru Jega’s exceptional performance during the 2015 elections. Nigeria never believed Prof Attahiru Jega would be able to stand the politics and the intricacies before and during the elections, but Jega shamed those who don’t believe him. INEC performed credibility well; these successes were product of the support Jega received from INEC backroom staff, including national commissioners like Zakari.
 What Jega did with INEC was building an institution that will always stand the test of time and with the appointment of an insider- Amina Zakari who played a prominent role in the success story recorded in the 2015 General Elections, INEC will still be guided through the paths of credibility and successes.
Nigeria expect President Muhamadu Buhari to give them an enduring legacy as a replication of Jega’s tenure by nominating a credible personality like Amina Zakari who has excelled in all her previous engagements with the government, in addition to her appointments at INEC. In 2011, she was appointed as an INEC Commissioner by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
With the thinking among most Nigerians for a change that we desired, running away from the fact for fear the bashing from a political party that was instrumental to her engagement in the first instance will be a disservice to the populace who are eager to have a better ‘Jega’ in INEC.
 The delay by the presidency in sending her nomination to the upper chambers of the legislative assembly is also giving room to those who do not want the country to move forward the ground to continue the undue debate about the eligibility of a woman who has carved a niche for herself with her exploits in her career.
Shamsu S. Hussaini wrote from Abuja.