The Senate on Tuesday rejected the confirmation of Lauretta Onochie as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Chairman of the committee, Kabiru Gaya, in his report said Onochie did not satisfy the provisions of the Federal Character principles.
The committee said there is currently a serving commissioner from Delta state, where Onochie hails from.
The Senate also stood down the approval of Professor Sani Mohammed Adam till further legislative action.
The committee recommended Onochie’s disqualification on the grounds that her nomination is in violation of Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution on the Principle of Federal Character.
The panel chairman said in line with the principle of federal character, Onochie could not make the list of confirmed nominees because she comes from Delta State which has already produced a sitting National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu.
“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 federal character,” Gaya said.
Following the committee’s recommendations, the Senate stepped down the confirmation of Professor Adam from North Central on the grounds that it has not cleared the nominee of petitions surrounding his nomination.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan therefore mandated the committee to do further legislative action and report back in two weeks.
Onochie’s nomination had sparked a massive outrage from civil society groups, opposition lawmakers, and even some members of the ruling party.
Many had argued that she was “too partisan” to be a commissioner in an important institution like INEC.
When she appeared before the senate panel last week, the presidential aide was asked to respond to allegations that she was a card-carrying member of the ruling party but she had denied it.
Onochie said she stopped being a member of any political party since 2019, but her claims were found to be not true.
