Uproar: Civil society Situation Room protests Buhari’s nomination of Onochie as INEC Commissioner

More uproar has continued to trail President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Lauretta Onochie, for Senate’s screening and confirmation for appointment into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a national commissioner. The Civil Society Situation Room on Tuesday joined other stakeholders of goodwill in the Nigerian project to protest the nomination Onochie by President Buhari for appointment into the INEC. The Situation Room, therefore, demanded President Buhari to withdraw the nomination Onochie, who is the president’s Aide on Social Media, as a national commissioner in the INEC.

The Convener of Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, argued that Buhari’s appointment of Onochie into the INEC is a plot to weaken the INEC, as well as efforts to build a credible and improved electoral process in Nigeria.

Nwankwo declared: “Situation Room calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately withdraw her nomination.

“Her nomination amounts to a major attempt at undermining efforts to build credibility for an improved electoral process in the country.”

Nwankwo also identified section of the constitution that President Buhari breached in the appointment. Referring to the 1999 constitution, Nwankwo protested that paragraph 14 forbids a “partisan politician” as a member of the electoral body. He insisted that the Onochie, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, is a “known partisan supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

The Convener Situation Room, therefore, demanded the Senate to disregard and reject Onochie’s nomination if President Buhari refuses to withdraw her nomination.

President Buhari had approached the Senate to screen and confirm Lauretta Onochie, representing Delta State; Professor Mohammed Sani, Katsina State; Professor Kunle Ajayi, Ekiti State; and Seidu Ahmed, Jigawa State, for appointment as national commissioners in the INEC.