Senate Confirms INEC Commissioner Nominee Accused Of Being An APC Member

The National Assembly has confirmed a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rhoda Gumus as a national commissioner (south-south) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Senate Confirms Rhoda Gumus As INEC Commissioner

Gumus, a nominee from Bayelsa state, was confirmed as a national commissioner of INEC during plenary on Wednesday, February 2, despite a petition against her nomination by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil society organization (CSO).

In the petition dated January 26 and acknowledged by the office of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, HURIWA national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko said the CSO found documents proving that Gumus is a card-carrying member of the ruling APC.

The documents were said to have been attached to the petition, TheCable reports.

However, while presenting a report on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, the chairman of the INEC committee, Kabir Gaya said no petition against Gumus was received.

Gaya said, “The nominees were asked questions and they answered soundly. Mr President, we only received one petition in regard to Major-General Alkali.

“But through the media, after we had submitted our report, we were hearing news about a different person (Gumus) again. The committee received a petition from Taraba elders against Alkali over incontinence.”

Gaya said the elders wanted the north-east position to go to Taraba state. He, however, said the committee members dismissed the petition because the president has the prerogative to pick a nominee from any state in the north-east.

Other nominees confirmed as national commissioners for INEC are Mohammed Haruna (north-central), May Agbamuche-Mbu (south-south), Ukeagu Nnamdi (south-east), and Sam Olumekum (south-west).

KanyiDaily had also reported the Senate commenced a move to confirm President Buhari’s social media aide, Lauretta Onochie, who is a staunch APC member, as INEC national commissioner.