STATEMENT OF FACTS: What is the problem with the nomination of Lauretta Onochie?
Has the law on nomination as INEC Commissioner been changed? This question has been asked in an anonymous question picked by The DEFENDER which represented the list of some key officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that had been appointed under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led governments in the past and are still serving.
1. Amb. Lawrence Nwuruku
Contested Ebonyi state governorship under ANPP in 2003.
-Contested for the governorship position in Ebonyi State under PDP in 2007.
-Was coordinator PDP Presidential/gubernatorial campaign Council Ebonyi State in 2007.
-Was made Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico on the basis of his being a PDP member.
-Was tipped to take over the National Chairmanship of PDP from Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo
-Was nominated as INEC’s Federal Commissioner by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 and confirmed by a PDP led Senate.
2. Dr. Johnson Alalibo, a PDP member from Bayelsa State.
-A former member of the state House of Assembly and Deputy whip.
-Later defected to APC, contested for the governorship ticket, lost and defected back to PDP
-He was appointed SA by governor Seriake Dickson.
Presently, he is an INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)
3. Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, cousin to Peter Obi, who was PDP’s VP candidate. He was in charge of INEC’s Operations and Logistics Committee in that same 2019 elections.
4. The current INEC Chairman Prof Mahmoud Yakubu was a PDP card carrying member before his appointment into the electoral body. He was once in charge of PDP’s election fund raising committee in his home-state of Bauchi. He, as a PDP member, was later appointed as Executive Secretary of TETFUND, a position reserved for Party Faithfuls.
All these characters have served, and most are still serving in INEC despite their clear links to PDP, yet the world has not ended. So, what is the problem with the nomination of Lauretta Onochie?
