The Independent National Electoral Commission has ordered four of its directors to proceed on retirement.

The order was in accordance with the circular on the eight-year tenure policy for directors in the public service.

In a statement signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, on Wednesday, INEC did not give the names of the four affected directors.

Olumekun noted that while two of them served as heads of department at the commission headquarters in Abuja, the other two served as administrative secretaries in the states.

He said, “Following the Federal Government circular HSCF/SPSO/268/T3/2/37 issued on 27th July 2023, the commission has approved the implementation of a policy mandating all directors with eight years or more of service to retire from the public sector.

“As per this directive, four directors of the commission will proceed on terminal leave. Two of them serve as Heads of Departments at the National Headquarters, while the other two are deployed as Administrative Secretaries in our state offices.

“However, it’s important to note that clinical officers in the medical cadre are exempt from this policy, as clarified in Circular MH. 7205/T/31 dated 7th September 2023.

“The commission wishes the affected Directors the best as they retire from service.”

Freelanews reports on December 4, 2023 that 10 directors in the commission heading different departments officially retired from service, after attaining the mandatory 60 years of age, or 35 years of service.