The 9th Senate on Thursday confirmed Aliyu Abubakar as a commissioner in the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

Abubakar, who was rejected by the 8th for allegedly possessing questionable academic credentials, was re-nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari for the same job.

Buhari had last week sent Abubakar’s name alongside four other nominees for confirmation by the Senate.

For of the nominees were for appointment into the NCC board while one was for the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

The 8th Senate had rejected bubakar’s nomination as the North-east representative on the NCC board for not allegedly meeting the requirement to be a commissioner as stipulated in NCC Act.

The Act requires commissioners in the NCC to possess qualifications in finance or accounting; law; consumer affairs; telecommunications engineering; information technology; engineering generally; economics; and public administration.

Abubakar, whose highest educational qualification is said to be one-year diploma in computer, was rejected by the Gilbert Nnaji-led committee when he was first nominated in 2016.

Nnaji based the rejection on the nominee’s failure produce credible educational certificates during the screening at the time.

But the 9th Senate today confirmed Abubakar’s appointment, alongside others, following his second nomination by President Buhari.

The President had in the letter he sent to the Senate last Tuesday requested the upper legislative chamber to confirm the nominees based on provisions in section 8 (1) of the NCC Act and section 5 (2) of NIPSS Act.

“In accordance with section 8 (1) of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) act 2003, I write to forward the under listed names of nominees for confirmation by the senate as non-executive commissioners of the Nigeria Communications Commission,” said Buhari.

https://thewhistler.ng/ncc-senate-confirms-nominee-rejected-by-8th-senate-for-questionable-credentials/