NEWS
Nigerians react as Buhari appoints aide Onochie, 3 others as INEC Commissioners
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of one of his media aides, Lauretta Onochie, as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission representing Delta State.
Other nominees listed are, Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (National Electoral Commissioner), Katsina; Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (National Electoral Commissioner), Ekiti; and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Resident Electoral Commissioner), Jigawa.
Onochie is the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media. The letter dated 12th October, 2020, was read by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday.
The letter read in part “Pursuant to Paragraph 14 of Part I(F) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I hereby forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the following four Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
The President in a separate letter to the Upper Chamber, requested the confirmation of appointment of three Executive Directors of the Board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency.
He said the request for confirmation was in accordance with the provision of Section 2(3) of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act 2007.
The nominees are, Mr. Ifeanyi Christian Kammelu (Executive Director – South East); Muhammad Gambo Bizi (Executive Director – North East); and Prof. Abubakar Ismail (Executive Director – North West).
Meanwhile, many Nigerians are displeased with the inclusion of Onochie on the list. While many urge the president to attend to the nationwide protests against police brutality, others demand her exclusion from the list.
Read some of their opinions below:
So Even in the middle of a severe Protest, buhari still appointed Lauretta Onochie Inec commissioner? A woman whose utterances are unbecoming of a government aide is warming up to be given new wings to fly wild. @MBuhari You should have done better because we have better heads!
— Aisha Yesufu (@Aisha_Yesufuu) October 13, 2020
Appointing Lauretta Onochie to INEC is a contradiction in terms. How’ll you nominate a staunch member of a political party to a body that is supposed to be independent and will make decisions affecting her party? The Senate should reject her and all others affiliated to a party. https://t.co/EL0GxMEp6i
— Bulama Bukarti (@bulamabukarti) October 13, 2020
The appointment of Lauretta Onochie as INEC Commissioner is unconstitutional, undemocratic and ridiculous. Section 14 of Part 1 of Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution provides that a person to be appointed as INEC commissioner must be a person of “unquestionable integrity”.
— FESTUS OGUN (@mrfestusogun) October 13, 2020
