Former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce of Bayelsa State has commended the Sente for declining the confirmation of Lauretta Onochie, an aide of President Muhammadu Buhari, for appointment as National Commissioner representing Delta State, at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It was reported that Onochie’s nomination was rejected by the Senate for reasons bordering on potential violation of the Federal Character Principle.
The Upper house while confirming Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah, (Katsina), Prof. Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti), Saidu Ahmad (Jigawa), Dr Baba Bila (North-East) and Prof. Abdullahi Zuru (North-West) said it was against the Federal Character Principle to have two persons from the same state as INEC National Commissioner.
Committee Chairman, Kabiru Gaya cited the presence of Mrs May Agbamuche Mbu from Delta, as a National Commissioner of INEC, as reason for her rejection.
However, Murray-Bruce who had earlier kicked against Onochie’s nomination, on Twitter wrote, ”I commend my colleagues in the 9th @NGRSenate for doing the right thing with the rejection of the nomination of a known APC member into INEC.
”This is very commendable.”