Daily Trust

Onochie, others: Senate yet to act on Buhari's request …refers FERMA nominees to c’ttee

- By Abdullatee­f Salau

The Senate is yet to commence legislativ­e action on President Muhammadu Buhari's request to confirm four nominees for appointmen­t as Independen­t National Electoral Commission (INEC) commission­ers, Daily Trust reports.

Buhari had on Tuesday nominated his aide on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie (Delta), Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina) and Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti) as national commission­ers of INEC. He also nominated Saidu Babura Ahmad as Resident Electoral Commission­er (Jigawa).

However, thunderous outrage has been trailing the nomination of Onochie as the leading opposition party, PDP, and CSOs alleged that she is a card-carrying member of the APC. The ruling party, however, countered it, saying she has not contested for any election under it.

At plenary, yesterday, the Senate only acted on the president’s request for the confirmati­on of the appointmen­t of three executive directors of the Board of the Federal Roads Maintenanc­e Agency (FERMA). The letter for the confirmati­on of FERMA executive directors was read the same day as that of the INEC commission­er nominees.

As is customary, after the president's letter seeking confirmati­on of nominees is read on the floor of the Senate, the request will be referred to the relevant committees on the next legislativ­e day for further action.

However, while the names of the FERMA nominees were referred to the Senate Committee on FERMA for screening, no action was taken on those of the INEC.

Contacted, the spokespers­on of the Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said the INEC commission­er nominees would be referred to the relevant committee when the matter is listed on the Senate order paper.

Meanwhile, the Senate, yesterday, confirmed the nomination of Dr Chukwuemek­a Chukwu for appointmen­t as REC, representi­ng Abia State in the INEC.

The confirmati­on followed the considerat­ion of the report of the Senate Committee on INEC, chaired by Senator Kabiru Gaya (Kano South).

He said no petition or incriminat­ing reports were received against the nominee and that he was not affiliated to any political party or participat­ed in any political rally or campaign.

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