The Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission has started the screening of the nominees of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as national commissioners of the electoral umpire.
The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Ms Lauretta Onochie, is already in the Senate waiting to be screened.
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Recall that the Senate president, Ahmed Lawan, had in June sent the names of Onochie and 5 others to the Senate committee on INEC headed by Sen. Kabiru Gaya for screening and possible confirmation.
The development was met with heavy criticism by members of the opposition party and the political elite.
The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said Onochie is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress; and by virtue of her political affiliation with the APC, she is not fit and proper to be appointed as an election officer.
The party argued that Onochie would pollute the atmosphere of neutrality, and fair play in the Commission if the Senate goes ahead to approve her nomination.
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Popular critic and activist, Aisha Yesufu, also condemned the Senate’s move, saying, “Lauretta Onochie as INEC Commissioner is as wrong as wrong can be. She is APC member. If this is allowed then expect Garba Shehu as INEC chairman”.
Former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce of Bayelsa State has kicked against the appointment.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission must be devoid of any political bias. Appointing persons like Lauretta Onochie, who is very politically partisan, will undermine INEC,” he had said.
Other nominees include Professor Muhammad Sani Kallah(Katsina); Professor, Kunle Cornelius Ajayi(Ekiti), and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa).
They also included Professor Sani Muhammad Adam(North-Central); Dr. Baba Bila (North East).
More details soon…
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