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The Senate yesterday confirmed the appointment of two more
national electoral commissioners for the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC).

The two, Mohammed Ahmed Wali from Sokoto State and Christopher
Okubai Iyimoga, from Nasarawa State, were appointed by President Goodluck
Jonathan to replace Abdulahi Bangudu Mamman and Mohammed Zakki Anka, who were
dropped for allegedly being members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party.

Mr Mamman, a retired military general, is a member of the Board
of Trustees of the PDP; and Mohammed Zakki Anka is an ambassador who contested
for the governorship of Zamfara State in 1999.

Their confirmation brings the number of the commission’s
national commissioners confirmed by the senate this year to eleven, including
the chairman.

Tuesday’s confirmation followed a brief screening exercise at
the senate, where the commissioners answered questions regarding their abilities
and credibility.

Mr. Wali and Mr. Iyimoga, both lecturers, promised to utilise
their experiences in the public service over the years to ensure the delivery
of free, fair and credible election in 2011. They accepted to work as a team
with the other commissioners.

“I would like to advise them that what this country wants is a
free, fair and credible election,” the senate president, David Mark, said after
the confirmation. “I advise them to join their colleagues in ensuring that they
do that.”

Firm against bribery

Other national electoral commissioners who were screened before
Mr. Wali and Mr. Iyimoga all promised to cooperate with the chairman and one
another to make the next general elections the freest and most credible
election in the history of Nigeria.

Mr. Iyimoga also promised to offer his intelligence as a
journalist to improve publicity and voter education in the forth coming
elections. He said he has an idea to use local musicians, folk musicians and
the multimedia to conduct an extensive voter education.

Like Atahiru Jega, his boss, Mr. Iyimoga assured the senate he
would not “collapse” if presented with huge sums as bribe.

Mr. Wali, a political science lecturer with Usman Danfodio University,
Sokoto also promised to stand firm in the face of bribery attempts.