Don’t Force Your Aide, Lauretta Onochie On Nigerians As Electoral Commissioner, Northern Group Tells Buhari

The Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has criticised the submission of the name of Lauretta Onochie, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the President as a nominee for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner.

President and spokesman for the group, Abubakar Isah and Mock Samuel Kure, in a statement on Thursday, said they were shocked by the news of Onochie’s nomination, describing it as a violation of the constitution.

The statement said, “The Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has received with rude shock the referral of the name of Lauretta Onochie, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Mr President and nominee for INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner representing Delta State to Senate Committee on INEC for screening and possible recommendation for confirmation or rejection.”

“As a partisan politician, we have available evidence to prove that Ms Lauretta’s appointment violates Section 14(2a) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended which states that a member of the commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.”

The group said Onochie is definitely not the only competent person in Delta State that can occupy the position.

“She is not the only competent person in Delta State that must be forced on the throat of Nigerians. If Mr President cannot do without her, he is free to appoint her into any MDAs of his choice,” the statement added.