The Nigerian Senate has rejected the nomination of controversial Presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie by President Muhammadu Buhari as Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC National Commissioner.
Her rejected came on the crest of swirls of opposition by many Nigerians particularly, civil society bodies who said her membership of the ruling APC disqualifies her for the position. Onochie, however, denied being a member of APC when she was grilled by Senate Committee on INEC last week.
But senate, on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of five other nominees as Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
According to a statement by Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate, the confirmation of the nominees followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on INEC.
Those confirmed include Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru (North-West), Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina), Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti), Dr. Baba Bila (North-East), and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa).
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya said the the petitions against Lauretta Onochie were too heavy to be ignored.
He explained that the nomination of Onochie violated the Federal Character Principle as there is already a serving National Electoral Commissioner from Delta State, Barr. Mary Agbamuche-Mbu who was screened and confirmed by the 8th Senate.
He explained that Onochie
He said the Committee is bound by the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amendment) on Federal Character Principle, refused to recommend Onochie for confirmation.
“Therefore, based on the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) on Federal Character Principle as earlier stated, and in order for the Committee and the Senate to achieve fairness to other states and political zones in the country, the committee is unable to recommend Ms. Lauretta Onochie for confirmation as a National Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission”, he explained.
The senate also rejected the nomination of Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
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