Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has robustly defended the Nigerian Senate’s role in the confirmation of nominees, emphasizing a clear distinction between presidential screening and legislative confirmation during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today program.
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The discussion arose in the context of President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Ndume, who represents a violence-plagued constituency in Borno, acknowledged limited personal knowledge of the nominee but praised his academic credentials, noting that the professor hails from Kogi State, holds all degrees from the University of Jos, and recently served as Vice-Chancellor there. “His colleague… made very commendable [remarks]; he said good things about him… he’s quite a gentleman,” Ndume said.
However, host Seun Okinbaloye pressed Ndume on public skepticism toward the Senate’s screening processes, citing the recent resignation of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, amid allegations of certificate forgery. “Do you think Nigerians trust what you do as a screening these days?” Momodu asked, referencing claims that Nnaji had falsified documents despite Senate vetting.
Ndume pushed back firmly, clarifying the procedural boundaries. “We are not screening… We have to do confirmation. You know what confirmation [means]? Go and check,” he stated, underscoring that the executive branch, including the State Security Service (SSS), conducts initial background checks and clearances before nominees reach the Senate. “Before the president sends a candidate to the Senate, there are a lot of processes including screening him not only on certificates but also doing a background check by the SSS. The SSS have to clear him.”
He recounted a past instance where the SSS flagged issues, leading the Senate to reject a nominee, as evidence of due diligence. Ndume attributed widespread forgery allegations in Nigeria to a broader societal issue, not isolated to politicians: “This matter of forgery in Nigeria is a big problem. Not only restricted to the political class… I don’t know your certificates. If you are to [check], I have classmates.”
Ndume expressed confidence in Amupitan’s smooth passage, predicting a “smooth clearance” given the president’s prior vetting and the nominee’s uncontroversial profile. He urged focus on substantive issues like INEC’s upcoming elections rather than procedural doubts.
The exchange highlights ongoing tensions over institutional accountability in Nigeria’s democracy, especially as the Senate prepares to screen Amupitan amid calls for electoral reforms. Ndume’s comments come as the upper chamber also debates a motion he sponsored to counter U.S. Senator Ted Cruz’s claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, planning a delegation to Washington for direct engagement.
INEC’s transition follows the end of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s decade-long tenure, with Amupitan’s confirmation critical ahead of off-cycle governorship polls and the 2027 general elections.
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