Earlyface

Prof. Attahiru Jega
Jega is expected to receive the award at an elaborate ceremony in Washington
D.C. on September 29. The award would be presented to him by the International
Foundation for Electoral Systems ( IFES) which is based in the United States.
The award which is the initiative of IFES is awarded yearly on individuals who
have distinguished themselves in the advancement of freedom and democracy.
Jega would be honoured under the Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award category.
Three individuals are honoured each year in these categories: one U.S. Democrat,
one Republican and a member of the international community who demonstrate
unwavering commitment to democracy and human rights.
Mr. Jega is the international figure chosen for the award this year, and he is
being honoured for leading INEC to conduct one of the most credible elections in
Nigeria’s history, even in the face of intimidation and sabotage by some of his
own staff and officials of the past administration.
Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Congressman Ed Royce (R-Calif.)
are to be honoured alongside Mr. Jega.
They will receive the awards at a special ceremony, co-chaired by IFES Board
Director and Baker & Hostetler LLP Partner, Ambassador Tom McDonald and
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP Partner June L. DeHart on September 29, in
Washington D.C.
“ Chairman Jega’s leadership was instrumental to Nigeria’s successful general
elections in 2015,” said IFES President and CEO, Bill Sweeney.
“He deserves full credit for his efforts to increase the credibility and transparency of
the electoral process under extreme logistical challenges, such as terrorist threats
from Boko Haram, where failure could prove the catalyst for predicted election
violence, ” IFES said in a statement.

The orgainser of the award said that Jega’s expertise in the management of the
2015 general elections positioned him as a credible election administrator.
IFES statement read in part: “ The complex Nigerian electoral environment consisted
of 69 million eligible voters, 155,000 polling booths and 700,000 temporary staff
deployed across the country. These recent elections resulted in the country’s first
democratic transfer of power.”
“I am deeply honoured to accept the 2015 Democracy Award from IFES,” Mr. Jega
said in response to his nomination for the award.
“INEC’s long-standing partnership with IFES in preparation for the 2015 general
elections resulted in a credible process accepted by Nigerian citizens and the
international community. These elections have put Nigeria on the right path toward
democratic stability .”
It will be recalled that Jega who left office as INEC Chairman on June 30 after
serving five years in office and he had refused to continued a second term.
He had since returned his lecturing job at the Bayero University Kano, where he
was also a Vice Chancellor before he was appointed INEC boss in June 2010 by
former President Goodluck Jonathan.