by Godwin Akanfe

Despite assuring Nigerians during the presidential media chat on February 11, that he had no plan to remove the INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega from office, YNaija has reliably gathered that the Presidency is planning to remove Jega this week.

President Goodluck Jonathan will force Jega to embark on terminal leave to pave way for a replacement, according to reliably placed sources in the Presidency who did not want to be named.

Our sources say after a lot of searching, that INEC National Commissioner, Amina Bala Zakari, has finally been chosen to replace Jega.

On his part, Jega is scheduled to meet with Resident Electoral Commissionerson Wednesday, and it is during that meeting that the removal plot will begin.

“During Wednesday’s meeting, the RECs will pass a no confidence vote on the Chairman, and the FG will then step in and declare that his position is untenable since his own people don’t have confidence in him,” said our source.

“Once Prof. Jega is removed, Mr. President will nominate a new chairman who will declare that INEC is not ready to use PVCs. And once PVCs are removed, it will become easier to carry out major rigging,” the source continued.

Another person told us that the Presidency was anticipating a storm that would follow Jega’s removal.

“They believe that the APC, the press, the US and EU will make noise, but then everybody will calm down after some time,” the source said.

“Many RECs are in the PDP’s pocket, but Professor Jega has refused even to pick up the phone calls of those representing the president. That’s why the decision has been reached to push him out of the way,” he concluded.

Rumours of Jega’s planned removal have been gathering momentum since the postponement of the general elections in February.