Issued in Abuja at 10.30 am: Wednesday, 14th July 2021
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) commends the Nigerian Senate for declining the confirmation of Ms. Lauretta Onochie, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, as National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The reason cited by the Senate for declining Lauretta Onochie’s confirmation as INEC National Commissioner is to avoid a violation of the Federal Character Principle.
Civil society organisations, political parties, political office holders and other election stakeholders advocated for the rejection of Ms. Onochie’s nomination, which has been presented to the Senate for consideration by President Muhammadu Buhari on two occasions. Her membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as the subsisting tenure of a National Commissioner representing Delta State, where Onochie hails from, were the reasons put forward against her nomination as an official of a non-partisan agency like INEC. It is pertinent to reiterate that Item F, paragraph 14 of the third schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution stipulates non-partisanship as one of the criteria for the appointment of a person as a National Commissioners of INEC. Therefore, it is unconstitutional for anybody in partisan politics to be in INEC and this should be taken into consideration with respect to subsequent nominations for positions at the Electoral Commission. Situation Room continues to stand by this position as stipulated by the law.
Situation Room lauds the Senate’s decision to uphold the Federal Character Principle enshrined in section 14(3) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and its adherence to the voice of Nigerians by rejecting Onochie’s nomination. Situation Room calls on President Buhari to nominate a qualified and non-partisan woman to replace the nomination of Ms. Lauretta Onochie as soon as possible, as the vacancies of INEC National Commissioners still exist.
Situation Room enjoins the National Assembly and all institutions of government to always uphold the tenets of democracy in the discharge of their duties and act in the interest of the Nigerian people at all times.
Situation Room also uses this opportunity to remind the National Assembly that Nigerians are watching and waiting anxiously for the inclusion of electronic transmission of election results and a downward review of the limits of election expenses in the Electoral Bill, 2021. Situation Room calls on the National Assembly to pass the Electoral Bill and transmit same to the President for assent before proceeding on recess.
————————-
SIGNED:
Ene Obi
Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
Asma’u Joda
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
James Ugochukwu
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
—————————–
The Situation Room is made up of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in support of credible and transparent elections in Nigeria numbering more than seventy. The Steering Committee is made up of: Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Women and Adolescent Empowerment, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), African Centre for Entrepreneurship and Information Development (ACEIDEV), Justice Development and Peace Commission (JPDC) Nnewi, ASPILOS Foundation, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Mac-Jim Foundation, Kimpact Development Initiative, Democratic Action Group (DAG), Women’s Rights to Education Programme, EDO CSOs, Young Innovators and Vocational Training Initiative (YVITI), New Initiative for Social Development (NISD). Other groups are Centre LSD, CISLAC, WARD-C, Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI), Enough is Enough Nigeria, WANGONET, JDPC, YIAGA Africa, Development Dynamics, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), Stakeholder Democracy Network, Human Rights Monitor, Reclaim Naija, CITAD, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR,) Nigerian Women Trust Fund, The Albino Foundation, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), Electoral Hub etc
———————-
Contact information:
Website: situationroom.placng.org
Email:situationroom@placng.org
Twitter @situationroomng
#NigeriaSituationRoom
Facebook: Facebook.com/situationroomnigeria
Hotlines: 09095050505, 09032999919