Buhari compensates aide, Onochie with INEC commissioner job, seeks senate confirmation

President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated his Special Assistant on Social Media, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie from Delta as a National Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and is urging the Senate to confirm her.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan read President Buhari’s letter of request at plenary.

Nominated National Electoral Commissioners of the INEC alongside Onochie were: Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (National from Katsina; Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi from Ekiti and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Resident Electoral Commissioner) from Jigawa.

The letter reads in part: “Pursuant to Paragraph 14 of Part I(F) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I hereby forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the following four (4) Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

Buhari, in a separate letter to the Upper Chamber, also requested confirmation of the appointment of three Executive Directors of the Board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

According to the President, the request for confirmation was in accordance with the provision of Section 2(3) of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act 2007.

The nominees for confirmation are Engr. Ifeanyi Christian Kammelu (Executive Director – South East); Muhammad Gambo Bizi (Executive Director – North East) and Prof. Abubakar Ismail (Executive Director – North West).