The 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has given reasons for rejecting the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as INEC Commissioner.
Reports say that the lawmakers gave the reasons in a statement titled: ‘Senate Confirms 5 Nominees as INEC Commissioners, Rejects Lauretta Onochie’
The statement was contained in the statement signed by Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate.
The statement clarified that Lauretta Onochie was indeed rejected because of her partisanship and breach of the Federal Character principle.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South) is reported as saying that the committee also received several petitions about her nomination.
According to him, the petitions against Onochie were on the backdrop of her involvement in politics and alleged membership of a political party.
Gaya stated further that her nomination was against the Federal Character Principles 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.
The statement:
“In the case of Ms Lauretta Onochie, 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, 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 Lauretter Onochie for confirmations as national Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
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