Benue Gov, Alia, sacks electoral commission chairman over poor judgement

Governor Hyacinth Alia has approved the removal of Dr John Chem as chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), following a recommendation by the state House of Assembly.

The lawmakers had accused Chem of poor judgment, saying his decisions failed to appeal to the majority of stakeholders and fell short of public interest.

In a statement issued on Friday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo, Alia accepted the assembly’s resolution and directed Chem to hand over to the administrative secretary of the commission with immediate effect.

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The statement reads, “The Assembly accused the BSIEC chairman of lacking good judgement as to which decision will appeal to the greater majority of all stakeholders, and also that his actions so far in office fall short of the public interest.

“Governor Alia has accepted the resolutions and directed the Chairman of the commission to immediately hand over to the administrative secretary of the commission.”

The move comes amid concerns over the commission’s handling of electoral matters in the state. The governor’s decision is seen as a bid to restore public trust and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

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