[BREAKING] INEC Job: Why Onochie Was Rejected – Senate

Lauretta Onochie

The Senate has explained the reason behind the rejection of Lauretta Onochie as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Senate has explained why it rejected the nomination of Lauretta Onochie, an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari as an INEC Commissioner.

The Senate, while making the clarification via a statement on Tuesday, said Onochiean was rejected because of her partisanship and breach of the Federal Character Principle.

The statement by Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate, was titled, ‘Senate confirms five nominees as INEC Commissioners, rejects Lauretta Onochie’.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the statement quoted the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South), as saying that the Committee also received several petitions against the nomination of Onochie.

The Chairman of the Committee further disclosed that the petitions against Lauretta Onochie were against the backdrop that her involvement in politics and alleged membership of a political party.

He stressed that Onochie’s nomination violated the Federal Character Principle as there is already a serving National Electoral Commissioner from Delta State, Barr. Mary Agbamuche-Mbu, who was screened and confirmed by the 8th Senate.

Gaya said, “In the case of Ms. Lauretta Onochie’s, having studied her curriculum vitae and other relevant documents, followed by exhaustive interaction around the petitions against her nomination which she responded to accordingly, including attesting that she is not a registered member of any political party.”

He added that the Committee bound by the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amendment) on Federal Character Principle, refused to recommend Onochie for confirmation.

“Therefore, based on the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) on Federal Character Principle as earlier stated, and in order for the Committee and the Senate to achieve fairness to other states and political zones in the country, the committee is unable to recommend Ms. Lauretta Onochie for confirmation as a National Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission,” he explained.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the nomination of Onochie, who currently serves as Senior Special Assistant on New Media to President Buhari, had attracted serious condemnation in the country.

A large section of Nigerians argued that Onochie is “too partisan” to be nominated for the INEC job.

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