Senate Insists On Screening Onochie Amid Protest From PDP Lawmakers

The Senate on Wednesday asked the Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to screen for confirmation, the appointments of Lauretta Onochie, and five others as INEC commissioners.

The latest screening follows President Muhammadu Buhari’s request, for the second time, to consider her for the nominated position.

This is coming eight months after the President forwarded the list of nominees to the Senate for screening.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, referred the screening to the Committee on INEC.

The committee is to report back in two weeks.

Opposition lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had protested the screening on the ground that the presidential aide has been a card carrying member of the governing party.

Other names on the list are, Prof. Muhammad Kallah (Katsina); Prof. Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti); Saidu Ahmad (Jigawa); Prof Sani Adam (North- Central); and Dr Baba Bila (North-East).

The chairman of the Senate INEC panel is Senator Kabiru Gaya.