The Senate has rejected the nomination of President Muhammadu Buhari’s senior special assistant on New Media, Lauretta Onochie, as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But contrary to public expectation, the Senate panel which screened Onochie for the appointment did not find her guilty of partisanship allegation levelled against her by several petitions sent to the Senate Committee on INEC.
Rather, the committee didn’t recommend Onochie for confirmation as a National Commissioner of INEC because of apparent violation of the Federal Character principle as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Therefore, irrespective of the weighty allegation of partisanship, the Senate panel looked the other way and decided to believe Onochie’s public denial of the membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite contrary facts.
LEADERSHIP reports that Onochie’s nomination alongside other nominees was forwarded to the Senate in October 2020 even though she said she quit the membership of the APC since 2019.
But an incontrovertible court document shows otherwise. Onochie deposed to an affidavit in June 2021 wherein she admitted being a member of the APC. By implication, Onochie was still a politician as at the time of her nomination as INEC National Commissioner in 2020.
She was confronted with the court document at the confirmation hearing by a member of the Senate Committee.
However, Onochie was rejected on the ground that there is already a National Commissioner of INEC from Delta State, Barrister May Agbamuche-Mbu, not because she was partisan.
Presenting the report of the Senate Committee on INEC, the chairman of the committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South) said the panel rejected Onochie in line with the federal character principle, 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.
For his part, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, said the committee was unable to forward Onochie’s name for confirmation because that her nomination was negatived, adding that she won’t be approved for confirmation.
It is interesting to note that President Buhari nominated Onochie to represent her native Delta State but when she appeared before the Senate Committee on INEC for screening last week, she said she was nominated to represent Cross River State, being her husband’s state of origin and not Delta State, where she hails from.
So, if Onochie was rejected based on federal character violation, she might be reconsidered for the same position if she is to be renominated this time around from Cross River State if does not violation the federal character principle again.
Bode Gbadebo and Sunday Isuwa by Bode Gbadebo and Sunday Isuwa
The Senate has rejected the nomination of President Muhammadu Buhari’s senior special assistant on New Media, Lauretta Onochie, as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But contrary to public expectation, the Senate panel which screened Onochie for the appointment did not find her guilty of partisanship allegation levelled against her by several petitions sent to the Senate Committee on INEC.
Rather, the committee didn’t recommend Onochie for confirmation as a National Commissioner of INEC because of apparent violation of the Federal Character principle as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Therefore, irrespective of the weighty allegation of partisanship, the Senate panel looked the other way and decided to believe Onochie’s public denial of the membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite contrary facts.
LEADERSHIP reports that Onochie’s nomination alongside other nominees was forwarded to the Senate in October 2020 even though she said she quit the membership of the APC since 2019.
But an incontrovertible court document shows otherwise. Onochie deposed to an affidavit in June 2021 wherein she admitted being a member of the APC. By implication, Onochie was still a politician as at the time of her nomination as INEC National Commissioner in 2020.
She was confronted with the court document at the confirmation hearing by a member of the Senate Committee.
However, Onochie was rejected on the ground that there is already a National Commissioner of INEC from Delta State, Barrister May Agbamuche-Mbu, not because she was partisan.
Presenting the report of the Senate Committee on INEC, the chairman of the committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South) said the panel rejected Onochie in line with the federal character principle, 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.
For his part, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, said the committee was unable to forward Onochie’s name for confirmation because that her nomination was negatived, adding that she won’t be approved for confirmation.
It is interesting to note that President Buhari nominated Onochie to represent her native Delta State but when she appeared before the Senate Committee on INEC for screening last week, she said she was nominated to represent Cross River State, being her husband’s state of origin and not Delta State, where she hails from.
So, if Onochie was rejected based on federal character violation, she might be reconsidered for the same position if she is to be renominated this time around from Cross River State if does not violation the federal character principle again.
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