News
COCSOAC, 33 Others Back Inec, Warn Against Unverified Redeployment Allegations, Seek Continuity In Commission
Joel Ajayi
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations Against Corruption (COCSOAC) and 33 partner civil society organisations have expressed confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging Nigerians to treat recent reports concerning the commission with caution and rely only on verified facts.
The coalition, in a statement signed and issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its President, Bola Ademola, and National Secretary, Comrade Abdulfatah Aliyu, the group said while INEC must be held accountable where necessary, criticisms of the electoral body should be based on credible evidence, due process and an opportunity for affected parties to respond.
COCSOAC was reacting to an online publication alleging questionable staff redeployments within INEC, including the reported reassignment of a Northern director and the deployment of South-West officials to key departments.
The coalition said it had not independently verified the alleged redeployments or the motives behind them, warning that claims of political interference or ethnic favouritism should therefore not be treated as established facts.
“Assuming without conceding that the redeployments occurred as reported, staff reassignment is a recognised administrative practice that may serve legitimate purposes, including operational efficiency, professional development and improved management,” the group said.
It maintained that the geographical origin or family associations of an INEC official could not, on their own, establish bias or an intention to manipulate elections.
According to the coalition, the more important questions should be whether the decisions complied with applicable rules, received proper authorisation and were based on legitimate administrative considerations.
COCSOAC consequently urged INEC to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported redeployments where necessary, while appealing to the media and civil society organisations to avoid drawing premature conclusions from unverified reports.
The group also congratulated INEC Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran Anthony, on her turbaning, describing institutional experience, diligence and administrative continuity as important factors in the management of elections.
It appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider Oriaran Anthony for reappointment as INEC Secretary when her tenure expires, subject to applicable laws and established appointment procedures.
COCSOAC said its appeal was not a demand for an appointment outside the law but was based on the need to preserve institutional knowledge and strengthen coordination ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Where an experienced incumbent has demonstrated the requisite commitment and competence, continuity may help preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen coordination and support preparations for peaceful, credible and well-organised elections,” the coalition said.
It, however, stressed that any decision on the matter must be guided by legality, INEC’s independence and the integrity of the electoral process.
The coalition called on political actors, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders to protect public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral institutions through evidence-based engagement, transparency and respect for due process.
It said its position was not that INEC should be shielded from scrutiny, but that allegations against the commission must be verified and affected institutions given a fair opportunity to respond.
“As the nation approaches another critical electoral cycle, accountability, institutional stability and the rule of law must remain central to the collective pursuit of credible elections,” COCSOAC said.
News
RMAFC Chairman Charges Directors, HODs on Accountability, Productivity
Joel Ajayi
The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, OFR, has charged Directors and Heads of Departments (HODs) to demonstrate commitment, accountability and professionalism in the discharge of their duties to ensure the successful implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in the Commission.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by Head, Information and Public Relations Unit Maryam Umar Yusuf, mnipr stated that, Chairman gave the charge at the signing of Performance Contracts by Directors and Heads of Departments at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
He described the exercise as more than the signing of official documents, noting that it represented a covenant of accountability and a commitment to delivering on the Commission’s strategic objectives through improved productivity and measurable results. He also noted that the initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritises institutional efficiency, good governance and improved service delivery.
Dr. Shehu explained that the PMS represents a deliberate shift from routine administrative activities to a result-oriented system that measures institutional and individual performance against clearly defined objectives.
He noted that the Commission had recorded significant progress towards its implementation through the development of a dedicated IT platform, organisation-wide staff training, capacity building for PMS champions, management sensitisation sessions and change management initiatives.
He emphasised that the system was not designed to be punitive but to empower officers, clarify responsibilities, identify capacity gaps and promote fairness in performance assessment. He therefore urged Directors and HODs to ensure that departmental targets and key performance indicators were realistic, measurable, time-bound and aligned with the Commission’s strategic objectives.
He assured staff of management’s commitment to providing the necessary support and enabling environment, while urging all officers to embrace the initiative and make accountability, professionalism and improved service delivery their guiding principles.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Personnel Matters Committee (PMC) and Federal Commissioner representing Cross River State, Ntufam Eyo-Nsa Whitley, described staff as the driving force behind the success of the Commission, urging them to demonstrate discipline, diligence, emotional intelligence and dedication to their responsibilities.
He encouraged officers to take the performance management exercise seriously and give their best towards achieving the Commission’s objectives.
He further urged staff to support one another, embrace the reform process and avoid attitudes that could undermine teamwork and institutional progress. Hon Ntufam called on the PMS champions to demonstrate commitment and provide guidance to their colleagues, stressing that collective responsibility, discipline and effective implementation would ensure the success of the initiative.
In his welcome address, the Secretary to the Commission, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, described the signing ceremony as a significant milestone in the Commission’s history, marking the transition from intention to action, planning to execution, and traditional performance evaluation to a modern, data-driven performance management system.
He appreciated the Chairman’s leadership and the Commissioners’ support, while acknowledging the critical roles of Directors and HODs in driving the transformation.
He urged management staff to take ownership of their performance agreements and ensure regular engagement, feedback and monitoring to achieve the desired results.
He stressed that the success of the PMS would depend not merely on signing the contracts but on the Commission’s ability to translate agreed targets into improved productivity, efficiency and measurable institutional achievements.
Earlier, the Director overseeing the Administration and Human Resource Department, Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Gidado, explained that the Commission had undertaken a series of activities towards the implementation of the Performance Management System and that the signing of the performance contracts represented a major milestone in the process, marking the transition from preparatory activities to the implementation phase.
In his lecture on The Role of Performance Management in Public Sector Transformation, Mr. Nwachukwu John, Head of Economy Team Performance Management at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), commended RMAFC for the progress recorded in adopting the PMS framework. He noted that the Commission’s commitment demonstrated its readiness to embrace public service reforms and align individual responsibilities with institutional and national development objectives.
He explained that the PMS was designed to connect the responsibilities of individual officers with departmental targets, the Commission’s strategic plan and the Federal Government’s priorities. He urged Directors and HODs to ensure that performance contracts were cascaded to other levels of staff through regular engagement and feedback, emphasising that the system was a productivity tool rather than a promotion exercise.
Similarly, Mr. Ohiro Emmanuel, PMS Consultant with Reliefline Nigeria Limited, delivered a lecture on Overview of the PMS Implementation Journey, during which he described the signing of performance contracts by Directors as a major milestone in the implementation process. He explained that the Commission had conducted staff training, developed a dedicated PMS IT platform and trained performance management champions to facilitate the process.
He stated that the next phase would involve cascading the performance contracts across departments, with Directors engaging their Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors, who would subsequently work with other officers to ensure that individual responsibilities were aligned with departmental targets. He urged the Commission to sustain the momentum and proceed with the cascading process to achieve full implementation of the system.
In his closing remarks, the Director of Reliefline Nigeria Limited, Mr. Francis Ikuyinminu, expressed appreciation to the leadership of RMAFC for their commitment and collaboration towards the successful development of the PMS.
He also acknowledged the support of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and other partners, reaffirming his company’s commitment to providing technical advisory support, capacity building and change management to ensure effective implementation of the system. He urged all stakeholders to sustain their partnership and commitment towards building a legacy of excellence
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