The Nigerian Council of State approved on Tuesday President Goodluck Jonathan's nominee to head the national electoral commission, a major move ahead of the national polls next year.

Attahiru Jega, the vice chancellor of Bayero University in the city of Kano, was approved to head the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by a unanimous decision, local officials said.

The nomination must still be approved by the Senate.

Jega previously chaired the Academic Staff Union of Universities,a volatile union that usually holds the government to ransome over national issues.

The council also approved the nomination of 10 national commissioners presented to it by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The decision of the council was made known at a joint briefing by Governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Sule Lamido of Adamawa, Sullivan Chime of Enugu and Adams Oshiomole of Edo after the meeting at the State House, Abuja.

"The council considers the recommendation of Prof. Attahiru Jega for appointment as the Chairman of INEC. The council unanimously approved of it," the governor said.

"The council believes the president demonstrated courage and statesmanship in appointing someone who is not known to have any partisan political affiliation and a Nigerian that has distinguished himself in his present and past callings," he added.

"The council also commended the president for the quality of people nominated as national electoral commissioners as well as 17 other resident electoral commissioners," he said.

"The good thing is that Council was unanimous about these appointments because the people concerned are considered to be men and women of integrity," he added.

"We recognize the controversy over whether or not the president should appoint INEC boss, the fact that we all accept that the President has exercised his powers quite judiciously in appointing a credible person that will be acceptable by Nigerians will be a major push on electoral reforms line," Oshiomole said.