… urges Senate to investigate other nominees
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately withdraw the nomination of his Senior Special Assistant on Social Media, Ms.Lauretta Onochie as National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Situation Room is made up of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in support of credible and transparent elections in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by its Convener, Mr Clement Nwankwo, the coalition said it is concerned about the nomination because Ms. Onochie is a known partisan supporter of Buhari and his ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday read a correspondence from President Buhari seeking legislature’s confirmation of four National Commissioners, including Onochie, in the Commission.
Other nominees are Prof. Mohammed Sani from Katsina State; Prof. Kunle Ajayi from Ekiti State and Seidu Ahmed from Jigawa State.
But the Situation Room in its statement, opposed the nomination of the presidential aide, just as it asked the Senate to disregard her nomination without any consideration whatsoever.
“The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room is concerned about the nomination of Ms. Lauretta Onochie, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Media as National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) representing the South-South. Ms. Onochie is a known partisan supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Item F, paragraph 14 of the third schedule of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) forbids a partisan politician as a member of INEC – a body charged under the Constitution to unbiasedly conduct of free and fair elections.
“Her nomination amounts to a major attempt at undermining efforts to build credibility for an improved electoral process in the country,” the statement said.
The Situation Room further called on President Buhari to immediately withdraw her nomination.
