President Muhammad Buhari has re-nominated his Special Assistant on Social Media, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, to the Senate as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) representing Delta State.
Once again, her nomination elicited controversy in the Red Chamber and social media, eight months after President Buhari initially forwarded Onochie’s name and five other nominees to the Senate for confirmation.
Onochie’s nomination generated controversy because of her alleged “artisanship and identification” with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Other nominees also referred to the Committee on INEC include Prof. Mohammed Sani representing Katsina; Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti), Seidu Babura Ahmed (Jigawa), Prof. Sani Mohammad Adam (Northcentral) and Dr. Baba Bila (Northeast).
Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), in seconding the motion, said he was surprised that Onochie’s name resurfaced after the matter had been dealt with.
He said: “In seconding this motion, let me point out that our people say that it is not when we have passed the evil forest that the demon will still catch us.
“Mr. (Senate) President, we had dealt with the matter of the nomination of Lauretta Onochie. So, we feel surprised that the same name has resurfaced, no longer as a National Commissioner but now as a Delta State commissioner.
“Mr. President, reluctantly, I second the motion that these nominations be referred to the relevant committee for action, and we shall meet in Philippi.”
In response, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, urged those who considered that Onochie is not qualified to be appointed as a National Commissioner for the INEC to petition the committee with proofs.
