Buhari Nominates Media Aide, Lauretta Onochie, Three Others As INEC Commissioners

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

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

Also nominated for confirmation as National Electoral Commissioners of the INEC 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 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).