THE AMAZON AS INEC SECRETARY By: CHUKWUEMEKA UGBOAJA The Attahiru Jega led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) earned for itself another very high mark with the appointment of Barrister (Mrs.) Augusta Chinwe Ogakwu as the Secretary of the Commission. The appointment was a huge surprise to many not only because it was made to a woman but because it was done very transparently adding another impetus to the ongoing transformation and reorganization in the Commission. When the position was advertised arising from the successful end of the tenure of the incumbent Secretary Alhaji Abdullahi Kaugama one would have ordinarily thought that it was one of those mares to fulfill all righteousness. It was as if it was another move to rubber stamp an already anointed candidate. But the appointment disappointed cynics and proved the Commission as actually poised in its vow to reposition the Commission to be one of the very best electoral commissions not only in Africa but the world. Even after the selection interview and speculations were rife that she came tops, it was still not enough reason to give her a chance to be so appointed. This one appointment that was done purely on merit has further placed the Commission as one body that knows actually its direction and working very to get to its destination as a well focused electoral management body. The Commission subsequently lived to its vowed commitment when on Wednesday 10th July, 2013 at its meeting ratified the appointment of Barrister (Mrs) Augusta Chinwe Ogakwu as the first woman substantive INEC Secretary. Those who know this one Amazon of a woman will without doubt testify that her appointment is well deserved. She has been severally tested from the previous positions she had held within and outside the Commission where she proved that her strength of character is absolute. She posses the will, intellectual and administrative sagacity to handle the administrative intricacies associated with electoral administration. Barrister Ogakwu joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1988 as a Chief Legal Officer and rose to be an Assistant Director in 2003 when she was appointed the Acting Director, Legal Services. It is on record that this amazon handled all the myriad of legal issues arising from the 2003 general elections with dexterity and due diligence despite all the political maneuvering associated with that time. This achievement no doubt marked her out as one officer that would do exploits. At a point when the Commission thought of introducing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a veritable component of the electoral process in 2008, her diligence and hard work earned her the mandate to organize the first ever National Workshop on ADR in December, 2008. Her pioneering efforts in this regard and the success of the workshop led to the eventual establishment of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Unit in INEC in May, 2009. On January 1st, 2011 Mrs. Ogakwu was promoted to the rank of a Director. As the exponent, proponent and pioneer of Electoral Alternative Dispute Resolution (EADR) in Nigeria, she was appointed the Head of Unit/Director, ADR in INEC from May 2009 until April 2013 when she once again returned to the Legal Services Department as the first substantive Director since 2002, a position which she held until she became the first female Secretary of INEC since inception. She hails from Udi, Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State and holds BLL 1985, LB 1986 and MLL 1990 from the University of Lagos. She belongs to several professional bodies including fellow, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, (FICMC) Member, International Dispute Resolution Institute (IDRI) and member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK). She is also a certified Professional in Workshop Mediation from Mediation Training Institute (MTI) Alberta, Canada. Mrs. Ogakwu has taken courses in conflict Analysis and Negotiation and Conflict Management from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and Senior Executive Leadership Training organized by the Austrain Awards in Africa Professional Development. She is married to Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu, a Federal Judicial Officer and they are blessed with Children.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 07:06:00 +0000
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