Nigeria

Senate Finally Clears Rejected Nominee as INEC Commissioner, Explains Decision

Friday, July 16, 2021 at 8:54 AM by Onyirioha Nnamdi

Professor Sani Adam has been cleared as the national INEC commissioner representing North Central
Adam's confirmation was effected by the Senate on Thursday, July 15, after its committee on INEC submitted a report
The appointee had been rejected at the floor of the House following an allegation of misconduct against him
The rejection of Adam's nomination sparked a lot of reactions from lawmakers at the Senate during plenary

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Abuja - After rejecting the nomination of Professor Sani Adam as a national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Senate on Thursday, July 15, cleared him for the position.

The confirmation of Adam who is to represent North Central came after consideration of the report submitted by Senator Kabiru Gaya, the chairman of the House's committee on INEC, The Nation reports.

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Principal members of the Senate in Abuja — The Senate committee on INEC said Adam's allegation has nothing to do with misconduct on his part (Photo: Nigerian Senate)
Source: Facebook

Explaining what led to the rejection of the appointee's nomination, Gaya noted that the earlier allegation against Adam did not border on misconduct, as claimed by the petitioner, but on the rationalisation of a federal government policy, Nigerian Tribune added.

He stated:

“After a thorough investigation into the petition against the nominee (Adam), the Committee found out that the petition against him was paltry and that the reason for the termination (not dismissal as alleged by the petitioner) was not based on gross misconduct but on rationalisation policy of the federal government.

Senate rejects Onochie as INEC commissioner, gives unexpected reason

Meanwhile, the Senate had rejected Lauretta Onochie's nomination as a national commissioner of INEC.

Onochie was rejected following the consideration of the report of the Committee on INEC, chaired by Senator Gaya.

Legit.ng gathered that the panel recommended Onochie’s disqualification as INEC National commissioner because her nomination is allegedly in violation of Section 14 (3) of the 1999 constitution on the principle of federal character.