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The
former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), Maurice Iwu, officially handed over the reins of leadership to
the Acting Chairman, Solomon Soyebi, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The brief event
that was held behind closed doors at the INEC Headquarters on Zambezi
Crescent, Maitama, officially marked the end of Mr. Iwu’s embattled
tenure at INEC.

The change of
leadership at the commission came on the heels of a letter signed by
President Goodluck Jonathan and received at INEC yesterday, directing
Mr. Soyebi to assume office as INEC’s Acting Chairman, pending the
announcement of a substantive chairman by the federal government.

The letter had
effectively ended the popular expectations that INEC National
Commissioner in charge of Public Affairs, Phillip Umeadi Jr., was set
to be named as the Acting Chairman, having already acted in the
capacity last week.

Mr. Soyebi, the
representative of Ogun State, was until this appointment, the National
Commissioner in charge of INEC Operations.

Although Mr. Iwu, a
professor of Pharmacology, did not attend the press conference later
addressed by the new helmsman, it was learnt, however, that he
physically handed over his leadership notes before breezing out to
evade the prying eyes and lenses of the media.

Efforts made to
uncover the content of the handover notes at INEC office was not
fruitful, even as the Acting Chairman avoided any direct reference to
it during his address at the INEC Conference Hall.

Voters register for review

Mr. Soyebi, who was supported by Mr. Umeadi at the press conference, said the task before INEC was enormous.

“The task before us
is very enormous, considering the fact that we are going to have the
presidential election and other elections in less than one year. We are
here to fine tune our strategies, to fast track our preparations
towards ensuring a free and fair election in 2011. There will be a
purification of the voters register so as to make future elections
credible,” he said.

“The commission has
a renewed vigour for election service delivery. On our own part, we are
going to be prepared to ensure a credible election in 2011.”

He called for
greater patience from the public, so as to allow the establishment of a
new INEC to take proper place before next year’s general elections.

He also announced
the return to office of the INEC National Commissioner on Legal
Matters, Victor Chukwuani, who was hitherto directed by the presidency
to go on terminal leave, but whose situation was reviewed by Mr.
Jonathan’s letter to INEC on Tuesday.

N2.8 billion illegal withdrawal

Mr. Soyebi, who had
also met with the workers of INEC before and after the briefing, did
not disclose if he was going to de-froze INEC’s accounts, which were
allegedly frozen last week on the order of Mr. Umeadi, over allegations
of illegal withdrawal of about N2.8 billion immediately after Mr. Iwu
was asked to proceed on terminal leave.

It was further
gathered that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is currently
investigating the allegation, even though it could not be confirmed as
at press time how far it has gone with the work.