July 05, (THEWILL) – The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Akwa Ibom State, has urged the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to drop Ms. Lauretta Onochie as an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) Commissioner.
The Chairman of the body, Otuekong Franklin Isong, made the call during a Press briefing in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Monday.
According to Isong, Onochie’s nomination breached the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The group said: “Onochie, who is currently serving as the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, was nominated by the President as INEC Commissioner in October 2020.
“The appointment had triggered outrage among Nigerians with many individuals and groups calling for the rejection of the nominee who has openly declared membership for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“She had also campaigned for President Buhari in 2015 and the CLO is of the view that if her nomination is confirmed by the Senate, it will mar future elections and cast doubts on the independence of INEC.”
The CLO asserted that Onochie, being a card-carrying member of APC, is not qualified for such an appointment as stated in relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The pro-democracy organisation observed that Section 156(1)a) and Third Schedule, Part 1, Item F, Paragraph 14(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) outrightly disqualified any person in partisan politics and card-carrying member of a political party from being appointed into INEC as an electoral umpire.
About the Author
