Group Urges Senate To Reject Buhari’s Aide, Onochie As INEC Commissioner

A Civil Society group, Concerned Nigerians have called on the Senate to reject the nomination of Ms Laureta Onochie as the National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) due to her partisan politics.

The group cautioned the lawmakers not to progress in error by giving her confirmation, noting that it would amount to a clear violation of Paragraph 14 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution as amended by Section 30, Act No 1 of 2010, which stipulated that a member of the INEC shall be non-partisan.

In a letter signed by the Convener of the group, Deji Adeyanju dated 28th June 2021 addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, which was made available to Daily Independent on Monday in Abuja charged the lawmakers to safeguard the nation’s democracy and listen to the voice of reasoning.

The letter said it was obvious that Ms. Onochie was a card carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and a political aide of the president Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the letter ” We find it very worrisome that the senate, under your leadership, appears to have made up its mind to confirm Ms. Onochie as an INEC Commissioner.

“Ms Onochie. It is public knowledge that Ms. Onochie is a card carrying of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a supporter and political aide of the president.

“We find it very worrisome that the senate, under your leadership, appears to have made up its mind to confirm Ms. Onochie as an INEC Commissioner.

“We wish to draw your attention to the fact that elections in Nigeria usually determine, to a large extent, the nation’s fate. Accordingly, the senate must be careful not to set a dangerous precedent with the confirmation of MsOnochie, lest a day come when the president of Nigeria may nominate his party chairman as the INEC Chairman.

“If this your proposed action of confirming Ms. Onochie goes on according to plan, it will make many lose hope in elections and democracy in the country. We urge you not to reverse all our democratic gains by this action.

“In the light of the foregoing, we hereby request that you take urgent steps to safeguard the nation’s present and future electoral process, by declining the nomination of Ms. Onochie as an INEC Commissioner”.