Senate rejects Lauretta Onochie’s nomination for INEC job

Admin l Tuesday, July 13, 2021

 

ABUJA, Nigeria -The Senate today turned down the nomination of card carrying member of the All Progressive Congress(APC) and Presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie.

Lauretta Onochie was nominated as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to represent Delta State.

However, Onochie was rejected not because he is a card carrying member of  APC but on the ground that there is already a National Commissioner of INEC from Delta State, Barr May Agbamuche-Mbu.

Presenting his report to the Senate Committee on INEC, the chairman of the committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South) said they rejected Onochie in line with the federal character principles which is enshrined in section 14 (3) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“Her nomination violated the federal character principle and national unity. Other sections of the country have also presented petitions against her nomination. In 2016, we confirmed a national commissioner from Delta State, Mrs May Mbu and confirming Lauretta from the same Delta State will violate the federal character,” Gaya said.

The senate also put on hold the confirmation of Sani Mohammed Adam  as National Commissioner of INEC representing North-Central but Senate Committee on INEC was mandated to do more investigation of the nominee and report to the house in two weeks.