Bowing to public outcry, the Senate Tuesday rejected nomination of the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on social media, Ms Lauretta Onochie, as National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But the upper legislative chamber confirmed five other nominees among the seven forwarded to it by President Buhari for confirmation through a letter written to that effect October last year.
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).
Onochie’s nomination has since October last year, generated controversies in the polity, specifically over her alleged membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and being from Delta state which already had a serving commissioner in the Commission .
Though during screening by the Senate Committee on INEC last week, Thursday, Onochie denied being a member of APC or any other political parties just as she refuted claim that Mrs. May Agbamuche Mbu, who is currently a commissioner in INEC is from Delta state.
She told the Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South)-led Committee that Agbamuche represents Cross River state in the commission.
Aside Onochie, the Senate, as recommended by the committee, stood down the nomination of Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam (North-Central) for further investigation by the committee.
Presenting the report, Senator Gaya said the committee received several petitions against Onochie’s nomination as well as that of Adam.
He disclosed that the petitions against the presidential aide were tied to her involvement in politics and alleged membership of a political party.
The lawmaker further said her nomination violated the Federal Character Principle as there is already a serving National Electoral Commissioner from Delta state, Barr. Mary Agbamuche-Mbu screened and confirmed by the 8th Senate.
“In the case of Ms. Lauretta Onochie, having studied her curriculum vitae and other relevant documents, followed by exhaustive interaction around the petitions against her nomination which she responded to accordingly, including attesting that she is not a registered member of any political party”, Gaya said.
According to the lawmaker, the committee, 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.
“On the nomination against Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam, the committee recommended that his confirmation be stepped down pending further legislative action by the committee,” Gaya said.
Accordingly, the Senate, while confirming the five nominees, adopted the recommendations of the committee by rejecting Onochie’s nomination and stepping down that Adam for further action.
