THE Senate lied in its claim that it was not aware of a petition against the nomination of an alleged card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), checks by The ICIR have revealed.

Rhoda Gumus, who President Muhammadu Buhari nominated as INEC national commissioner (South-South), was confirmed by the Senate on February 2 despite protests by Nigerians over reports that she is a card-carrying APC member.

Gumus is alleged to be a member of the APC in Bayelsa State with APC Registration Form No: BAY/YEN/08/58315.

She, reportedly, was number 27 in her APC Ward Register.

A civil society organisation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), filed a petition against Gumus’ confirmation as INEC national commissioner.

The petition was titled ‘Petition against the confirmation of Prof. Rhoda H. Gumus’ nomination as national electoral commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the basis of political membership.’

The petition was dated January 26, 2022, and addressed to Senate President Ahmed Lawan.

Copies of the petition were also addressed to Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Senate said it was not aware of the petition against the confirmation of Gumus’ nomination when the upper legislative chamber confirmed her on February 2.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC Kabir Gaya said a petition was only received against another nominee – A. B. Alkali, from Taraba State.

Gaya claimed that after the committee had already submitted its report, it started hearing about Gumus’ links to the APC ‘through the media.’

But, contrary to the explanation, checks by The ICIR revealed that the Senate actually received HURIWA’s petition against the confirmation of Gumus’ nomination.

Acknowledgement copies seen by The ICIR show that the Senate received the petition on January 26, 2022.

On one of the copies, the stamp of the Office of the Senate President indicating ‘RECEIVED’ was signed by an official, and dated January 26, 2022, in acknowledgement of the receipt of the petition on the date.

The copies addressed to the deputy Senate president and the speaker of the House of Representatives were also stamped and signed to acknowledge receipt of the petition by the two offices on January 26.

The acknowledgement of the receipt of the petition suggests that the Senate deliberately ignored the petition against Gumus’ nomination as INEC national commissioner.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/senate-lied-about-petition-against-apc-members-nomination-as-inec-commissioner/

NASS is helping Buhari's effort at destroying democracy in Nigeria. How can you knowingly appoint a card carrying member of APC as INEC commissioner? This same NASS inserted the direct primaries clause that Buhari latched on to decline assent to electoral amendment bill. Even the revised bill instead of just removing the direct primaries clause, they went on another wild-goose chase on disqualifying Amaechi and Malamu from contesting 2023 elections. Like I mentioned before, Gbajabiamila is solely responsible for Buhari's continued decline on the amended electoral bill. Sometimes, I wonder if PDP members in NASS are just sleeping in those chambers. They are just useless opposition members.