Onochie’s rejection: Senate has done the needful – CTA

Following the outrage and the rejection of the nomination of madam Lauretta Onochie as a national commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a pro-democracy group, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has commended the Senate.

CTA said the Senate has done the needful by listening to the voice of the people even though pressured by Nigerians to be accountable to the people and represent the interest of the people. 

In a statement signed Tuesday in Abuja, by the CTA’s executive director, Faith Nwadishi, also urged Nigerians to be vigilant and look forward to the National Assembly passing an Electoral Bill that will have electronic transmission of results by INEC and addresses all other issues raised by Nigerians.    

“Recall that the nomination of Lauretta Onochie by President Mohammadu Buhari as INEC National Commissioner to represent the South South in October last year was greeted with outrage, disappointment and roundly rejected by majority of Nigerians. The Centre for Transparency Advocacy issued a Press Statement in support of other CSOs and majority of Nigerians in rejecting her nomination. 

“Madam Lauretta Onochie was rightly seen by Nigerians as partisan, toxic and lacked the integrity to assume such office as a National Commissioner and a policy maker in a sacred office like the Independent National Electoral Commission. Madam Onochie’s presence in INEC would have in great measures impinged on the integrity of the Electoral Management Board and put to question the integrity of the electoral process. 

“CTA calls on CSOs and Nigerians to still be vigilant and look forward to the National Assembly passing an Electoral Bill that will have electronic transmission of results by INEC and addresses all other issues raised by Nigerians. Citizen’s power keeps hope alive for our democracy.”