Presenting his report, Chairman of the Senate Committee, Kabiru Gaya, declared that Onochie failed the provisions of the Federal Character Principles.
The Senate on Tuesday bowed to public opinion and rejected the nomination of Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Senator Gaya (APC, Kano South) noted that the Committee received several petitions against the nominations of Ms. Lauretta Onochie and Professor Sani Muhammad Adam.
According to him, the petitions against Lauretta Onochie bordered on her involvement in politics and alleged membership of a political party.
Those that opposed her nomination included the opposition People’s Democratic Party, former INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, and a coalition of civil society organisations.
Gaya explained that Onochie’s nomination violated the Federal Character Principle 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. Onochie hails from Delta State.
Gaya added that in Onochie, the committee studied her curriculum vitae and other relevant documents, and 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.
But he noted that the Committee was bound by the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amendment) on Federal Character Principle, refused to recommend Onochie for confirmation.
“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. Lauretta Onochie for confirmation as a National Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Gaya said.
Responding to Onochie’s disqualification, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), declared that by rejecting her had preserved the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In a statement issued by Faith Nwadishi, CTA said that Onochie was seen by Nigerians as being partisan.
The statement said: “The Senate’s rejection of the nomination of Madam Lauretta Onochie as a National Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a welcome development and augurs well for our democracy.
“Recall that the nomination of Lauretta Onochie by President Mohammadu Buhari as INEC National Commissioner to represent the South-South in October last year was greeted with outrage, disappointment and roundly rejected by the majority of Nigerians.
“The Centre for Transparency Advocacy issued a statement in support of other CSOs and the majority of Nigerians in rejecting her nomination.
“Madam Lauretta Onochie was rightly seen by Nigerians as partisan, toxic and lacked the integrity to assume such office as a National Commissioner and a policymaker in a sacred office like the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Madam Onochie’s presence in INEC would have in great measures impugned on the integrity of the Electoral Management Board and put to question the integrity of the electoral process.
“The Senate has done the needful by listening to the voice of the people even though pressured by Nigerians to be accountable to the people and represent the interest of the people.
“CTA calls on CSOs and Nigerians to still be vigilant and look forward to the National Assembly passing an Electoral Bill that will have electronic transmission of results by INEC and addresses all other issues raised by Nigerians. Citizen’s power keeps hope alive for our democracy.”