Virtually all Senate Committee members have raised issue around the partisanship of Lauretta Onochie following petitions and verifiable documents that shows she is partisan. This include the affidavit of her affirming she s an member APC. premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines…
I am aware that you are political appointee of the President and you do everything to support him. I am also worried about the concerns of Civil Society Organisations and International Community on your nomination as INEC Commissioner - Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
On the 1st July, you wrote a letter to Chairman of @NGRSenate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya and you said in paragraph five that "a register was opened and we all put our name as members of Buhari support organization" - Senator Ekweremadu queries
Senator Ekweremadu also encouraged Lauretta Onochie to emulate former minster of finance Kemi Adeosun and reject the nomination to protect the integrity of the President whom she so much love.
Since Buhari was elected as President for the 2nd term, I have removed myself from everything politics. Since 2019, I don't have anything to do with politics. As I am sitting down here, I am not a member of any political party in this country - Lauretta Onochie
With regards to federal character, Lauretta Onochie said, INEC commissioner (purportedly from Delta state) Ms Agbamuche is representing Cross-Rivers state because she married someone from the state and so she is not representing Delta state.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele from Ekiti state said, the current INEC Chairman prof Yakubu had worked for President Buhari in different capacities and this did not count against him. Thus working for President Buhari should not account against Lauretta Onochie.
Honorable Gyang brought forward a court affidavit where Lauretta Onochie swore that she is involved in politics and she s a member of the All Progressives Congress.
Lauretta Onochie said, she has not been involved in politics since 2019 despite her continuous tweeting in support of President Muhammadu Buhari, as debate around her being a member of a political party hits up.
While some Committee members said, Lauretta Onochie should be placed on oath about her partisanship but Senator Ekweremadu insisted that placing a nominee on oat is not part of the guidelines for screening a nominee.
I swore an affidavit saying I'm involved in politics and a member of APC when I just returned to the country - Lauretta Onochie insisting she is currently not a member of any political party.
The nomination of Lauretta Onochie as INEC National Commissioner has generated a lot of debates and has divided Committee members about her capacity of being neutral and if she s a member of a political party.
The Senate Committee on INEC and other electoral matters led by Senator Kabiru Gaya will today conduct the screening of a Presidential Aide and APC member, Lauretta Onochie amongst other nominees for the position of INEC National Commissioner.