IPAC, AAC reject Onochie’s nomination as INEC commissioner

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has demanded an immediate withdrawal of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Ms Lauretta Onochie nomination as a Commissioner of the lndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This is just as the African Action Congress (AAC) said it is alarmed that President Muhammadu Buhari would nominate his Special Assistant on Social Media and active member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ms Onochie as Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

IPAC in a statement by its Chairman, Dr Leonard Nzenwa said it is outrageous that President Buhari would nominate his personal aide who is also a member of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State as a National Commissioner of INEC in flagrant violation of the Third Schedule, Part 1, paragraph 14 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 ( as amended) which provides that a member of the Commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity and shall not be a member of any political party.

“It is inconceivable that Mr President would nominate his personal staff and a card-carrying member of the ruling APC to serve as a National Commissioner of INEC at a time Nigerians are clamouring for electoral reform, free, fair, credible, transparent elections and sanctity of the ballot box.

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“It is unacceptable, unpatriotic and attacks on the nation’s emerging democracy that can trigger a mass action against the Federal Government when the country is currently facing unprecedented protests against Police brutality and demand for Police reform”, IPAC said.

IPAC further said Onochie has been overzealous and reckless in carrying out her duties as President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, confronting and attacking with impunity anybody who disagrees with her principal.

AAC said as a party, it rejects Onochie’s purported nomination and calls on President Buhari to withdraw her immediately so as to maintain the integrity, neutrality and honour of the Commission.

AAC in a statement by its National Chairman, Dr Leonard Nzenwa said “Mr President wittingly or unwittingly ignored this critical provision of the Constitution he swore twice to uphold since May 29, 2015, he assumed office.

_{NIGERIAN TRIBUNE}