The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has expressed concern over the appointment of Ms Laureata Onochie as the National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for South-South, stating that her appointment was against INEC’s law which forbids a partisan politics as a member of the commission.
Earlier on Tuesday, the President had asked the senate to confirm Onochie alongside Mohammed Sani (Katsina), Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti) and Seidu Ahmed (Jigawa) as INEC commissioners.
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But reacting in a statement, Clement Nwankwo, convener of Situation Room, said the nomination of Onochie is an attempt to weaken the efforts to build a credible electoral process in Nigeria.
The Situation Room explains that it is important for Nigeria that the composition of INEC is transparently non-partisan and independent of partisan political manipulation.
The organisation is therefore calling on the President, Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw her appointment immediately.
Ms Onochie is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Media an active member of the Presidential aide, therefore her appointment goes against the rule, according to Item F, paragraph 14 of the third schedule of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) forbids a partisan politics as a member of INEC, stated by the Situation Room.
Thus, the organisation further warned that if the president fails to act, the Nigerian Senate should “disregard Onochie’s nomination without any consideration whatsoever.”
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