President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday forwarded the names of eight new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and five members of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
The names of the nominees were forwarded in separate letters to the Senate dated July 27 and read on the floor at yesterday’s plenary.
The new RECs are Sylvester Okey Ezeani (Anambra), Professor Mohammed Tabi’u (Jigawa), Dr. Lawrence Azubuike (Imo), Sam Olugbadebo Olumekun (Ondo), Professor Istifanus Ishaku Dafwang (Plateau), Mrs. Gesila Khan (Bayelsa), Mr. Samuel Madaki (Taraba) and Dr. Gabriel Ada (Cross River).
The five ICPC nominees are Alhaji Abdullahi Ado Bayero (North-west), Alhaji Isa Ozi Salami (North-central), Ekpo Una Owo Nta (South-south), Professor Olu Aina (South-west) and Dame Julie Onum-Nwariaku (South-east).
They are to fill the existing vacancies in the commission in accordance with Section 3 (3) of the ICPC Act, which requires that in addition to the Chairman, the commission shall consist of 12 members made up of two representatives from each of the six geo-political zones of the country.
While the screening of the INEC nominees was referred to the Senate Committee on INEC, the ICPC nominees were referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), has directed Mr. Abdullahi Bako to take over the affairs of the commission in an acting capacity until a substantive chairman is
appointed.
Bako, it was gathered would now take over from the former acting chairman of the commission, Mrs Rose Abang Wushishi, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), whose tenure expired on July 22.
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