The race to fill the shoes of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced and no fewer than 11 candidates have been speculated to be in the running.
As the tenure of more officials of the Independent National Electoral Commision expires, the Presidency is shopping for credible candidates as INEC chairman and RECs.
The Nation reports that fewer than 10 candidates are jostling to be chairman.
Some of those being speculated are: Mrs. Zakari; two former National Commissioners (Lai Olurode and Nuru Yakubu); the Director-General of INEC Electoral Institute, Prof. Abubakar Momoh; Mr. Festus Okoye ( a human rights activist); Mr. Mike Igini and three unnamed candidates.
A retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, who was the chairman of an Electoral Reform Committee raised by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, has been suggested for the job, but there is a snag - his age.
The top contender for the coveted seat is Mrs. Zakari, a princess of Hadejia, Kano State in the Northwest.
Besides coming from the same geopolitical zone with Jega, Mrs. Zakari is the first woman vying for the Chief Electoral Officer.
It was laernt that there were issues on whether or not the President should appoint the INEC chairman from the North or the South.
The last occupant of the office, Prof. Attahiru Jega, came from Kebbi State in the Northwest.
The North-South dichotomy has placed a burden on the Presidency and made the race to succeed Jega keener, The Nation learnt.