Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has withdrawn the nomination of his social media aide, Lauretta Onochie, as a Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Buhari named Mrs May Agbamuche Mbu (Delta, South-South), as her replacement.
In an updated list sent to the Senate recently, Buhari nominated Malam Mohammed Haruna (Niger, North Central), Ukeagu Kenneth Nnamdi (Abia, South East), Major General A. B. Alkali (rtd) (Adamawa, North East), Engr. (Prof.) Rhoda H. Gumus (Bayelsa, South-South), Mr. Sam Olumekan (Ondo, South West) as National Commissioners of INEC, while Olaniyi Olaleye Ijalaye (Ondo, South West) was nominated as a Resident Electoral Commissioner.
In a letter sent to the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Buhari requested that the Senate confirm the nominees so they could get to work.
It should be recalled that the nomination of Onochie, Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, as INEC Commissioner, had generated widespread outrage with a lot of Nigerians, opposition politicians and civil society groups requesting for her rejection since she was too partisan to serve in an institution that is that sensitive.
Also, she was accused of being a card-carrying member of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), an accusation she denied during her screening, but was later discovered she had lied on oath.
