The acting INEC Chairman, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari speaks on her new responsibilities, the preparations for the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states and denies she is an in-law to President Muhammadu Buhari.
What are the things left ruined by the former INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, which you have to deal with now?
What are the things left ruined by the former INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, which you have to deal with now?
There is a lot that has been done in terms of processes to conduct believable elections. The main issue now is to make our staff and internal processes more efficient. It has been a tough five years. When we came in five years ago, it was like a new commission. We did a lot of breaking down and rebuilding, re-organisation and (related to a plan to reach a goal) planning. So many things were happeningCVR, permanent person (who votes) cards, electionand the commission is the only (service business/government unit/power/functioning) that can conduct governorship elections and by-elections. So it wasn't an easy five years. But thank God, we were able to go past the expectations of Nigerians.
Within those processes, however, we discovered a lot of human errors. Things that could be done easily were made harder because of the understanding of Nigerians, training of (something made for a particular reason) staff and so many other issues. So, the concentration now is to teach some values. People need to understand that they have to work on a daily basis. They have to use their processes. In fact, we are working on a business process review, and I am organizing/managing the (group that decides or promotes something). We have gone far in mapping out our business processes. All we need now is to keep on sensitising the staff so that we can have a changed management.
We have done all we needed to do in terms of breaking down and rebuilding and re-organisation. But there is change management and that is one of the handover notes. The other handover issue is increased use of technology in the electoral process. I believe the use of technology increases clearness/open honesty and (wasting very little while working or producing something) of any process and we also need to sensitize our staff on the need to be ICT-efficient. This is the message I gave them all.
In every election now, we must secure/make sure of that the staff is well enough trained. We must provide ability (to hold or do something) building. We must go back and get those who are (related to computers and science) ready, because if God willing I am allowed to continue, we are going to increase the use of technology. Even in our day to day activities, we (understand/make real/achieve) we have a very low number/very low amount of data management. After an election, you don't know who conducted the elections. Who were the (something made for a particular reason) (people in charge of something)? So that we can have a data bank of who has done elections before, so we could use them. With little training, you could re-use them, but every time we want to have an election now, we have to start all over again. So, if we have hands at the lower level who are technology-intelligent in the use of computer, data management would not be an issue.
I can't say the general is my in-law. I am not married to his son and my daughter is not married to him. That is what I understand about being an in-law. But obviously, in life, you have casual friends, people you have known. But I think people should not get distracted by this 'family or no family'. Am I (able to do something well/very good)? Can I deliver? Can I conduct my affairs with (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness)? The President's message is for people to be honest and to have (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness)
Will INEC continue to use card readers?
The card reader is here to stay. We are securing/making sure of that the storage facilities are being run. We are doing an audit on our storage facilities and sometimes we get calls from the field that everything is fine, because we monitor to make sure that everything is fine. We'll do a (list of items/produce a list of items) of all our card readers and secure/make sure of that what we think we have in store is actually what we have in store. I will also do a (list of items/produce a list of items) of the internal workings to see whether our SIM cards are still there or they are missing. You know we have to constantly do the auditing. You can't just leave it to chance until maybe 2019 when you open and discover that all your card readers are not functional.
Will they be useful in 2019?
(usually/ in a common and regular way), the lifespan of the machine is five years, with proper storage. So, when we audit the storage, we would see if we need to rethink our storage (success plan(s)/way(s) of reaching goals); maybe we have to store them in a central place where we can concentrate on providing a productive/helpful (surrounding conditions) for their lifespan.
What value would you add to the electoral process if you are confirmed as (enough to be meaningful) chairman?
Like I said, I am a data and process person. The value I would add is to begin our process early so we do not get caught up in this (something made for a particular reason), fire military unit (or group of people) approach to activities. I know what we went through all these five years. We (usually/ in a common and regular way) have to request for information. We request for somebody to do his job. So, the direction we have started giving the commission is that everybody has to do his job as and when due.
You know we had a retreat in June when the former chairman was leaving with the other (government workers in charge). We discussed with the electoral officers, the management officers, the RECs and we made recommendations from the retreat. We have also collected/made our 2015 election report and we have recommendations of that/of it.
We also have reports from (people who are watching something) and monitors. So, we (pulled out or taken from something else) all the recommendations and matched up them with the departments that should work on them as well as the RECs, and we gave it back to them. The very first week I came, I gave it back to the departments that these are the recommendations from the retreat, and the promise was that every recommendation would be looked into. You can't just throw them away because these are issues that our staff brought up.
Why did you lobby to become the INEC chairman?
I did not try to convince lawmakers about it. I had packed all my things out of INEC and wanted to take a leave for the remaining three weeks. I felt that as the commission was being used up/reduced, I had a responsibility to sit out my three weeks. Then I was called on my way home after the chairman (Jega) had handed over to Representative Wali. I told that the head of service was looking for me, and I said what for? I just continued driving. I was almost home when they said, 'Come back, you have a letter to be the temporary chairman.' I said, 'but somebody was selected in the morning, take the letter to INEC.' But they said, 'It is in your name. You have to come and receive it. Just turn round.'
While I was still arguing, my driver decided to turn round. I called the representative and told him, and he said, 'Go pick your letter.' I called the former chairman and he said, 'Go pick the letter.' I was confused and worried because it is a huge responsibility and I wasn't really expecting it. I picked the letter and came back to the office the next day in a sober mood. I know the only thing left to do is to group together on the gains within this acting period; just maintain a (related to managing and running a company or organization) structure, try to keep the commission running (related to managers) and then let's see what happens, since I know the problems of the commission in terms of business processes. So, we are working on communication. We are discussing with the directors, giving them responsibilities and, hopefully, everything should be fine.
That means you still had three weeks left before you were selected/hired as the temporary chairman.
Will INEC continue to use card readers?
The card reader is here to stay. We are securing/making sure of that the storage facilities are being run. We are doing an audit on our storage facilities and sometimes we get calls from the field that everything is fine, because we monitor to make sure that everything is fine. We'll do a (list of items/produce a list of items) of all our card readers and secure/make sure of that what we think we have in store is actually what we have in store. I will also do a (list of items/produce a list of items) of the internal workings to see whether our SIM cards are still there or they are missing. You know we have to constantly do the auditing. You can't just leave it to chance until maybe 2019 when you open and discover that all your card readers are not functional.
Will they be useful in 2019?
(usually/ in a common and regular way), the lifespan of the machine is five years, with proper storage. So, when we audit the storage, we would see if we need to rethink our storage (success plan(s)/way(s) of reaching goals); maybe we have to store them in a central place where we can concentrate on providing a productive/helpful (surrounding conditions) for their lifespan.
What value would you add to the electoral process if you are confirmed as (enough to be meaningful) chairman?
Like I said, I am a data and process person. The value I would add is to begin our process early so we do not get caught up in this (something made for a particular reason), fire military unit (or group of people) approach to activities. I know what we went through all these five years. We (usually/ in a common and regular way) have to request for information. We request for somebody to do his job. So, the direction we have started giving the commission is that everybody has to do his job as and when due.
You know we had a retreat in June when the former chairman was leaving with the other (government workers in charge). We discussed with the electoral officers, the management officers, the RECs and we made recommendations from the retreat. We have also collected/made our 2015 election report and we have recommendations of that/of it.
We also have reports from (people who are watching something) and monitors. So, we (pulled out or taken from something else) all the recommendations and matched up them with the departments that should work on them as well as the RECs, and we gave it back to them. The very first week I came, I gave it back to the departments that these are the recommendations from the retreat, and the promise was that every recommendation would be looked into. You can't just throw them away because these are issues that our staff brought up.
Why did you lobby to become the INEC chairman?
I did not try to convince lawmakers about it. I had packed all my things out of INEC and wanted to take a leave for the remaining three weeks. I felt that as the commission was being used up/reduced, I had a responsibility to sit out my three weeks. Then I was called on my way home after the chairman (Jega) had handed over to Representative Wali. I told that the head of service was looking for me, and I said what for? I just continued driving. I was almost home when they said, 'Come back, you have a letter to be the temporary chairman.' I said, 'but somebody was selected in the morning, take the letter to INEC.' But they said, 'It is in your name. You have to come and receive it. Just turn round.'
While I was still arguing, my driver decided to turn round. I called the representative and told him, and he said, 'Go pick your letter.' I called the former chairman and he said, 'Go pick the letter.' I was confused and worried because it is a huge responsibility and I wasn't really expecting it. I picked the letter and came back to the office the next day in a sober mood. I know the only thing left to do is to group together on the gains within this acting period; just maintain a (related to managing and running a company or organization) structure, try to keep the commission running (related to managers) and then let's see what happens, since I know the problems of the commission in terms of business processes. So, we are working on communication. We are discussing with the directors, giving them responsibilities and, hopefully, everything should be fine.
That means you still had three weeks left before you were selected/hired as the temporary chairman.
Do you believe you are up to the job of managing the commission?
Having worked for five years in the commission, I have a good knowledge of what goes in it. I had more contact with the staff than the former chairman, and there was so much responsibility trusted to me. I handled so many (something made for a particular reason) assignments. I was in charge of managing the youth corps affairs, and it was a 24-hour duty on Election Day. Everyone would go home after the election, but I would still be on the phone trying to get them back to base. I managed the business process. I managed political parties for four years, and that was a continuous assignment.
Some of the (groups that decide or promote things) had their job towards the election, mine was a permanent assignment. I was working like an everyday government worker. When I was moved out, I didn't know there was life after political parties. I had to manage their war-groupisation. I had to start/work at argument settling. I became an emergency lawyer. So, it was an eventful five years. And now, I can look back and see where corrections and improvements need to be made. I have been part of the re-organisation. I had been in the security (group that decides or promotes something), operation (group that decides or promotes something), so many (groups that decide or promote things). I have a good knowledge of what goes on in INEC. I think in any organisation, (uninterrupted, constant quality) is good.
Are you praying to be confirmed as (enough to be meaningful) chairman?
God decides who becomes leader. If God decides that I would be the one to continue, I will have to do my best.
Having being trusted with so many responsibilities by the former chairman, will it be correct to say that Jega prepared you for this position?
I don't think he (in a carefully-planned way) prepared me. Maybe he saw certain qualities in me that he was able to tap into. Maybe that is why he gave me those responsibilities. Possibly, it's the jobs I did, the quality of my presentations and assignments, that made him pick me. You know as they say, the reward for hard work is more work.
Is it true you have family-related or marriage-related relationship with President Buhari?
I would say Gen. Buhari did not (assign to a position) me as a (government worker in charge); President Jonathan did. Before that, Gen. Obasanjo selected/hired me as a special helper and I was posted to FCT where I was secretary for health, farming and social development at the same time. At the time President Jonathan came, he was looking for people that had (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness). That was what I was told, and I found myself in the commission and did my best. For somebody to now say Gen. Buhari knew me and gave me the job, obviously he knew I am a hard worker and he is a (honest and right-acting) person. I have never known him for (giving family members better jobs than non-family members). He is a very (honest and right-acting) person.
If there are family-related ties, the way of thinking/basic truth/rule would have rubbed off on that family. I come from a very (honest and right-acting) family. My father survived two governments in power that were jailing and (tackling/firing) people, and he survived both. And for that, I don't think I would do anything that would jeopardise that way of thinking/basic truth/rule. I can't say the general is my in-law. I am not married to his son and my daughter is not married to him. That is what I understand about being an in-law. But obviously, in life, you have casual friends, people you have known. But I think people should not get distracted by this 'family or no family'. Am I (able to do something well/very good)? Can I deliver? Can I conduct my affairs with (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness)? The President's message is for people to be honest and to have (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness). This is a statement he sent to me. 'Don't do anything against your way of thinking/basic truth/rule.' Already, I have that way of thinking/basic truth/rule and I will maintain it.
Were you nominated by APC or any APC governor? Because that is the guess/guessing...
The President is a man of himself and people should not think that people influence people of power. Even when I was made a (government worker in charge), was it somebody from PDP that recommended me? I know people in high places. I knew about some of them. So, having somebody recommend you, does it make your job different from what you would do? I might as well have been recommended by a PDP person or a Labour Party person that knows about the President. I think the President had a job to do. He was angrily faced/stood up to with the information that this number of (government workers in charge) has left and these are the ones remaining, and he chose me.
So I don't think it's about recommendation. We should think about the other (related to managing and running a company or organization) processes. I was still a (government worker in charge). I am qualified to do it. And like he said, (male/female status) issues came up. He seems to be a traditional person and the (male/female status) (people who use action and strong words to support or oppose something) started working on him. So, that might have informed the choice of the only female among the six (government workers in charge) remaining.
Having worked for five years in the commission, I have a good knowledge of what goes in it. I had more contact with the staff than the former chairman, and there was so much responsibility trusted to me. I handled so many (something made for a particular reason) assignments. I was in charge of managing the youth corps affairs, and it was a 24-hour duty on Election Day. Everyone would go home after the election, but I would still be on the phone trying to get them back to base. I managed the business process. I managed political parties for four years, and that was a continuous assignment.
Some of the (groups that decide or promote things) had their job towards the election, mine was a permanent assignment. I was working like an everyday government worker. When I was moved out, I didn't know there was life after political parties. I had to manage their war-groupisation. I had to start/work at argument settling. I became an emergency lawyer. So, it was an eventful five years. And now, I can look back and see where corrections and improvements need to be made. I have been part of the re-organisation. I had been in the security (group that decides or promotes something), operation (group that decides or promotes something), so many (groups that decide or promote things). I have a good knowledge of what goes on in INEC. I think in any organisation, (uninterrupted, constant quality) is good.
Are you praying to be confirmed as (enough to be meaningful) chairman?
God decides who becomes leader. If God decides that I would be the one to continue, I will have to do my best.
Having being trusted with so many responsibilities by the former chairman, will it be correct to say that Jega prepared you for this position?
I don't think he (in a carefully-planned way) prepared me. Maybe he saw certain qualities in me that he was able to tap into. Maybe that is why he gave me those responsibilities. Possibly, it's the jobs I did, the quality of my presentations and assignments, that made him pick me. You know as they say, the reward for hard work is more work.
Is it true you have family-related or marriage-related relationship with President Buhari?
I would say Gen. Buhari did not (assign to a position) me as a (government worker in charge); President Jonathan did. Before that, Gen. Obasanjo selected/hired me as a special helper and I was posted to FCT where I was secretary for health, farming and social development at the same time. At the time President Jonathan came, he was looking for people that had (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness). That was what I was told, and I found myself in the commission and did my best. For somebody to now say Gen. Buhari knew me and gave me the job, obviously he knew I am a hard worker and he is a (honest and right-acting) person. I have never known him for (giving family members better jobs than non-family members). He is a very (honest and right-acting) person.
If there are family-related ties, the way of thinking/basic truth/rule would have rubbed off on that family. I come from a very (honest and right-acting) family. My father survived two governments in power that were jailing and (tackling/firing) people, and he survived both. And for that, I don't think I would do anything that would jeopardise that way of thinking/basic truth/rule. I can't say the general is my in-law. I am not married to his son and my daughter is not married to him. That is what I understand about being an in-law. But obviously, in life, you have casual friends, people you have known. But I think people should not get distracted by this 'family or no family'. Am I (able to do something well/very good)? Can I deliver? Can I conduct my affairs with (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness)? The President's message is for people to be honest and to have (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness). This is a statement he sent to me. 'Don't do anything against your way of thinking/basic truth/rule.' Already, I have that way of thinking/basic truth/rule and I will maintain it.
Were you nominated by APC or any APC governor? Because that is the guess/guessing...
The President is a man of himself and people should not think that people influence people of power. Even when I was made a (government worker in charge), was it somebody from PDP that recommended me? I know people in high places. I knew about some of them. So, having somebody recommend you, does it make your job different from what you would do? I might as well have been recommended by a PDP person or a Labour Party person that knows about the President. I think the President had a job to do. He was angrily faced/stood up to with the information that this number of (government workers in charge) has left and these are the ones remaining, and he chose me.
So I don't think it's about recommendation. We should think about the other (related to managing and running a company or organization) processes. I was still a (government worker in charge). I am qualified to do it. And like he said, (male/female status) issues came up. He seems to be a traditional person and the (male/female status) (people who use action and strong words to support or oppose something) started working on him. So, that might have informed the choice of the only female among the six (government workers in charge) remaining.
Were you the most senior (government worker in charge)?
Yes, there were two of us. We were the two most senior (government workers in charge). And this is not the first time INEC has had a temporary commissioner. I understand Prof. Maurice Iwu was a (government worker in charge) who became a chairman. When we came, Soyebi was temporary commissioner and he handed over to Jega. And he conducted elections. He had done all the purchases. The commission was running before we came. In fact, with Soyebi and Umeadi, the same picture/situation happened. When Iwu left, he didn't nominate a temporary chairman. Umeadi took over but the (time when someone is president/being a president) selected/hired Soyebi as temporary chairman.
Are you (without hope/very upset) for this position?
There is nothing called (very upset feelings of hopelessness). Or have I showed/represented that image?
Your enemies believe that you want to get the job at all cost...
No, no, no. I am not (without hope/very upset) and I don't have to get the job at all cost. I think even if I don't get the job, I have made history as the first acting female chairman of INEC. Within this period, have I done anything good? Have I done anything to improve the process? Even if it is a two-day job, somebody has to do it and I happen to be the one doing it. If somebody is asked to come and take over, I will willingly hand over to that person. I am not (without hope/very upset).
I have been a widow in the last 15 years, no man or anyone will say I have ever knocked on his door to ask for help to take care of my children. I was brought up with decency and I have tried my best to preserve and protect my (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness).
The PDP has been criticising your appointment. Do you think this is (done for good reason)?
In politics, everything is (done for good reason). I don't have an argument with them. I have worked very well with them being in charge of political parties. And at that time, there was no single complaint about me. (usually/ in a common and regular way), you see somebody's name being talked about/said in written requests, but in all the four years, there was no time any political party or group of people (involved in a battle) talked about/said me in person as doing something to influence any of their activities. You would see tons of complaints and asks/surveys from political parties. They would put our directors and everybody in the papers. Did you ever see my name come up? That was the most sensitive and very hard assignment in INEC and I did it for four years. So for PDP to be saying they don't like my appointment, that is politics.
How many PVCs have not been collected?
We have about 58million PVCs collected so far, which is about 81 per cent of the 68 million produced. We have about 10 million PVCs not collected. We still have about 400,000 PVCs not produced. So, we are going to resume the distribution of PVCs but we cannot just bring out those PVCs and begin to distribute them until we are sure they belong to living human beings.
We are planning our (ways of doing things/ways that things happen) for distribution.
But before that we are going out to the field to conduct PVC audit in all the states. On Thursday, we had a meeting with all our Resident Electoral (government workers in charge) (RECs) and the topic of discussion was resumption of PVC distribution and Continuous People (who vote) Registration (CVR).
Like I told the RECs yesterday, the audit will start by next week. But as for the PVC distribution, we have to come up with a water-tight process so that the PVCs will not get into wrong hands, especially as we are having Kogi and Bayelsa elections. We have to scientifically decide/figure out how we are going to do the distribution so that we just don't go out to the field and it becomes a different story.
Yes, there were two of us. We were the two most senior (government workers in charge). And this is not the first time INEC has had a temporary commissioner. I understand Prof. Maurice Iwu was a (government worker in charge) who became a chairman. When we came, Soyebi was temporary commissioner and he handed over to Jega. And he conducted elections. He had done all the purchases. The commission was running before we came. In fact, with Soyebi and Umeadi, the same picture/situation happened. When Iwu left, he didn't nominate a temporary chairman. Umeadi took over but the (time when someone is president/being a president) selected/hired Soyebi as temporary chairman.
Are you (without hope/very upset) for this position?
There is nothing called (very upset feelings of hopelessness). Or have I showed/represented that image?
Your enemies believe that you want to get the job at all cost...
No, no, no. I am not (without hope/very upset) and I don't have to get the job at all cost. I think even if I don't get the job, I have made history as the first acting female chairman of INEC. Within this period, have I done anything good? Have I done anything to improve the process? Even if it is a two-day job, somebody has to do it and I happen to be the one doing it. If somebody is asked to come and take over, I will willingly hand over to that person. I am not (without hope/very upset).
I have been a widow in the last 15 years, no man or anyone will say I have ever knocked on his door to ask for help to take care of my children. I was brought up with decency and I have tried my best to preserve and protect my (honest and good human quality/wholeness or completeness).
The PDP has been criticising your appointment. Do you think this is (done for good reason)?
In politics, everything is (done for good reason). I don't have an argument with them. I have worked very well with them being in charge of political parties. And at that time, there was no single complaint about me. (usually/ in a common and regular way), you see somebody's name being talked about/said in written requests, but in all the four years, there was no time any political party or group of people (involved in a battle) talked about/said me in person as doing something to influence any of their activities. You would see tons of complaints and asks/surveys from political parties. They would put our directors and everybody in the papers. Did you ever see my name come up? That was the most sensitive and very hard assignment in INEC and I did it for four years. So for PDP to be saying they don't like my appointment, that is politics.
How many PVCs have not been collected?
We have about 58million PVCs collected so far, which is about 81 per cent of the 68 million produced. We have about 10 million PVCs not collected. We still have about 400,000 PVCs not produced. So, we are going to resume the distribution of PVCs but we cannot just bring out those PVCs and begin to distribute them until we are sure they belong to living human beings.
We are planning our (ways of doing things/ways that things happen) for distribution.
But before that we are going out to the field to conduct PVC audit in all the states. On Thursday, we had a meeting with all our Resident Electoral (government workers in charge) (RECs) and the topic of discussion was resumption of PVC distribution and Continuous People (who vote) Registration (CVR).
Like I told the RECs yesterday, the audit will start by next week. But as for the PVC distribution, we have to come up with a water-tight process so that the PVCs will not get into wrong hands, especially as we are having Kogi and Bayelsa elections. We have to scientifically decide/figure out how we are going to do the distribution so that we just don't go out to the field and it becomes a different story.
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