Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been redeployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of preparations for the conduct of 2015 general elections in the country.

The redeployments were contained in a letter dated 24th December 2014 and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Augusta C. Ogakwu.

The letter directed all the RECs to conclude handing and taking over formalities by Wednesday, 31st December, 2014.

The changes are: Prof O. E. Onukaogu redeployed from Abia to Enugu; Prof Tukur Sa’ad, Adamawa to Bauchi; Ahmed Makama, Bauchi to Taraba; Mike Igini, Delta to Edo; Selina Omagha Oko, Ebonyi to Abia; and Edwin Offor Nwatarali, Enugu to Anambra.

Others are Sadiq Abubakar Musa, from Kaduna to Sokoto, Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa, Kano to Kebbi; Hussaini Ahmed Mahuta, Katsina to Kaduna; Abubakar Umar Garba Wara, Kebbi to Zamfara; and Emmanuel Onucheyo to move to Kwara State from his previous state of Kogi.

Also, Rufus O. Akeju has been moved to Oyo from Lagos; Abdullahi Umar Danyaya, Niger to Nasarawa; Timothy A. Ibitoye, Osun to Ogun; A. L. Ogunmmola, Oyo to Osun; Barito Lenusikpugi Kphagih, Rivers to Bayelsa; and Haliru A. Tambuwal will now be INEC’s REC in Jigawa from his previous Sokoto State.

Kassim Gana Geidam has been moved from Yobe to Gombe; Ibrahim Bagobiri Marafa, Zamfara to Katsina; Aniedi Ikoiwak, Akwa Ibom to Delta; Habu Zarma, Gombe to Yobe; while Akin Orebiyi will take charge in Lagos from Ogun State.

The change also sees Hussaini Halilu Pai moving to Kogi from FCT; Kwanga Godwin Mbatsavbee, from Benue to Plateau; Sylvester Okey Ezeani, from Anambra to Cross River; Minkaila Abdullahi, from Jigawa to Kano, just as Lawrence Azubuike will be moving to Ebonyi from Imo.

Sam Olugbadebo Olumekun is moving to Ekiti from Ondo, Istifanus Ishaku Dafwang from Plateau to Benue; Gesila Khan, from Bayelsa to Rivers; Samuel Madaki, from Taraba to Borno; and Gabriel Ada from Cross River state to Imo.

The remaining RECs are Jacob Shekwonudu Jatau from Nasarawa to FCT; Baba Abba Yusuf from Borno to Adamawa; Segun Agbaje from Ekiti to Ondo; Nasir Ayilara, from Kwara to Niger; and Austine Okojie, from Edo to Awka Ibom.

However, Daily Trust observed that almost all the redeployments were done within geographical regions, while many of the changes were just swaps between neighbouring states.

Chairman of the commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, Daily Trust recalls, had before the August’s Osun state’s governorship election told political parties at a meeting that INEC had made it part of its duties to change RECs ahead of elections to stem accusations of a possible camaraderie with state governments.

Meanwhile, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have expressed mixed reactions over the re-deployment of the states Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Eze Onyekpere said though it is good the election officers were posted to familiar terrains, the familiarity may be an opportunity to compromise.

"It makes sense however to ensure that commissioners who understand the environment conduct elections in the states. But it may be that excessive familiarity with the environment could be considered an opportunity to be compromised," Onyekpere said.

On his part the national publicity secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and spokesman of the South East All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr Osita Okechukwu said though he think it is a routine job to redeploy the RECs as and when due, posting them to neighbouring states was pedestal.

Also the Executive Director, Human Rights Monitor (HRM) Barrister Festus Okoye, said there was nothing unusual, strange or sinister in the redeployment of the RECs ahead of the February 2015 general elections as it was not the first time such redeployments had been carried out.

He also urged INEC to equally redeploy Electoral Officers (EOs) of the various local governments at least two weeks before the general elections to enable them settle down and familiarize themselves with the environment of their new local governments.