The senate has rescinded its
decision to confirm Monday Udo Tom as the resident electoral commissioner (REC)
from Akwa Ibom state.
Tom was confirmed on Wednesday
alongside three other REC nominees.
But on Thursday, the upper
legislative chamber reversed the decision after Akpan Bassey, senator
representing Akwa Ibom north-east, sponsored a motion.
Bassey said the senate’s
committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not include a
petition against the nominee in its report.
“I want to draw the attention of
this senate to this order regarding the screening and confirmation of Udo Tom
which is the resident electoral commissioner nominee for Akwa Ibom state,” the
senator said.
“I wish to draw the attention of
the committee on INEC headed by Nazif, to the fact that I and the committee
received a petition against this nominee on the 5th of February 2018 and the
report of the committee that was laid before the senate did not take cognizance
of the fact that there is a petition against the nominee.
“I have with me, the report of
that committee on page five. There is no reference, whatsovever to the
petition. This same petition was also referred to the committee on ethics and
privileges and public petition.
“I therefore wish to seek the
authority of this chamber and of the senate president that the confirmation of
the nominee from Akwa Ibom be stepped down and sent to the committee for proper
work and maybe, thereafter, submitted back to the senate. I am not really
against the nominee but I believe that the petition be reflected in the
report.”
Sam Anyawu, chairman senate
committee on ethics, confirmed that his committee received the petition.
“The committee on ethics received
the petition but we wanted the committee on INEC to finish their own report
before we juxtapose what they have done with our own report. So we have not
sent in our own report yet,” Anyawu said.
After this, his confirmation was
withdrawn while Senate President Bukola Saraki referred matter to the committee
on INEC for “further legislative action”.
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