The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has asked President
Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the nomination of Lauretta Onochie, his social
media media, whom he appointed as a commissioner of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).
Earlier on Tuesday, Buhari had asked the senate to confirm
Onochie alongside Mohammed Sani (Katsina), Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti) and Seidu Ahmed
(Jigawa) as INEC commissioners.
But reacting in a statement, Clement Nwankwo, convener of
Situation Room, said the nomination of Onochie is an attempt to weaken the
efforts to build a credible electoral process in Nigeria.
Quoting the 1999 constitution, Nwankwo said paragraph 14
forbids a “partisan politician” as a member of the electoral body.
He urged the senate to disregard her nomination if the
president fails to withdraw it.
He also asked the senate to investigate the other nominees
as they might have been nominated based on “self-serving interest”.
“The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room is concerned about
the nomination of Ms. Lauretta Onochie, Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Social Media as National Commissioner of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) representing the South-South,” the statement read.
“Ms. Onochie is a known partisan supporter of President
Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Item F, paragraph 14 of the third schedule of the 1999
Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) forbids a partisan politician as a member
of INEC – a body charged under the Constitution to unbiasedly conduct of free
and fair elections.
“Her nomination amounts to a major attempt at undermining
efforts to build credibility for an improved electoral process in the country.
“Situation Room calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to
immediately withdraw her nomination. Should the President fail to withdraw this
nomination the Nigerian Senate is hereby called upon to disregard her nomination
without any consideration whatsoever.
“It is important for Nigeria that the composition of INEC is
transparently non-partisan and independent of partisan political manipulation.”
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This is a welcome advice which I hope the senate will heed.
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