Senate Confirms Seven INEC Commissioners

The Senate has confirmed seven nominees appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission ) INEC.
The confirmation of the nominees was sequel to the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on INEC.
Those confirmed were Mohammed Haruna (Niger – North Central, National Commissioner); Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu (Delta – South-South, National Commissioner); Ukeagu Kenneth Nnamdi (Abia – South East, National Commissioner); and Major General A. B. Alkali (Rtd) – Adamawa (North East, National Commissioner).

Others were Engr. (Prof.) Rhoda H. Gumus (Bayelsa – South-South, National Commissioner); Mr. Sam Olumekun (Ondo – South West, National Commissioner); and Olaniyi Olaleye Ijalaye (Ondo – South West, Resident Commissioner).
In his presentation, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya, APC, Kano South recalled that the confirmation request was made by President Muhammadu Buhari in compliance with the provision of Section 153(1)(f) of the Constitution, and pursuant to the provision of Section 154(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Gaya disclosed that the Committee received a petition from the Taraba Elders Forum against the nomination of Maj. Gen. A. B. Alkali (Rtd.) over “the seeming inconsistency in the rotation of the nomination”.
According to Gaya, the Taraba Elders Forum stated that the nomination started from Taraba (2003 – 2008), Adamawa (2008 – 2015) and Gombe (2015 – 2021).
Gaya who noted that petitioners observed that it was the turn Taraba State to produce the nominee against the backdrop of the principle of rotation, explained that the Committee resolved that all the states (Taraba, Adamawa and Gombe) had been nominated between 2003 and 2021, therefore, it was the prerogative of the President to pick his nominee from any of the three states.
Lawmakers, including the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and Senator James Manager, spoke highly of the competence and credibility of President’s nominees.