Senate Screens Buhari’s Aide Lauretta, Others For INEC Job

The Upper chamber on Thursday began the screening of nominees for appointment as National Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The nominees, including one of the sides of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Lauretta Onochie, are already in the Senate for the exercise.

Onochie arrived at the Senate wing of the National Assembly about 11 am, accompanied by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Babajide Omoworare.

She was immediately ushered into the office of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabri Gaya.

Onochie is currently waiting for her turn to be screened by the Senate panel.

The nomination of Onochie, who currently serves as Senior Special Assistant on New Media to President Buhari, has provoked serious public outcry with the Peoples Democratic Party, kicking against her nomination.

The PDP’s objection is that Onochie is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress; and by virtue of her political affiliation with the APC, she is not fit and proper to be appointed as an election officer.The party argued that Onochie would pollute the atmosphere of neutrality, and fair play in the Commission if the Senate goes ahead to approve her nomination.

Other nominees include Professor Muhammad Sani Kallah(Katsina); Professor, Kunle Cornelius Ajayi(Ekiti), and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa).

They also included Professor Sani Muhammad Adam(North-Central); Dr. Baba Bila (North East).