Senate rejects Lauretta Onochie’s nomination as INEC commissioner

The Senate has rejected the nomination of the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on new nedia, Lauretta Onochie from Delta as a Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, thus bowing to pressure from civil society, the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party and other Nigerians.
Her rejection on Tuesday was based on Federal Character Principle as the Senate said that she is from Delta and the state already has May Agbamuche who is the Chairman, Legal Services, INEC.
The Senate resolution came after Kabiru Gaya-led Committee on INEC presented a report during a plenary session.
Onochie was nominated for the job by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2020.
Her nomination sparked off outrage over concerns that she is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but she claimed to have resigned her membership of the ruling party in 2019.
Gaya said on Tuesday, “In 2016, we confirmed a national commissioner from Delta state, Mrs May Agbamuche and confirming Onochie from the same Delta will violate the federal character.”
The Senate went ahead to confirm Muhammad Kallah, Kunle Ajayi, Saidu Ahmed, Baba Bila and Abdullahi Zuru as INEC commissioners.