- Administers oath on Adeyemi
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Senate wednesday confirmed two of the three Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) nominees for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is just as Senator Smart Adeyemi was also yesterday administered oath of office as senator representing Kogi West Senatorial district.
The Senate however rejected the nomination of Muyideen Olalekan from Osun State for being a card carrying member of one of a registered political party.
Olalekan had while appearing before the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) for screening along with other nominees last month, admitted that he is a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress(APC). Those confirmed are Umar Muktar, from Borno State, and Serieke Johnson, from Bayelsa State. Submitting the report before the Senate at plenary, Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Kabiru Gaya, said the committee had gone through the resume of the nominees and believe they are qualified to be appointed as REC.
He, however, told the Senate that a nominee from Osun has a petition against him for being a card carrying member of a political party, which he was said to have admitted publicly.
Gaya explained that for this reason, the committee decided to stand down the screening of the nominee, adding that the rest of the nominees were successful at the screening and should be confirmed as recommended by the committee.
Contributing, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, cautioned against rejecting the president’s nomination, saying even during the screening, the petitioner was not available to lead in testimony against the nominees, even though such opportunity was given.
Meanwhile, the number of senators elected on the platform of the ruling APC in the Ninth Senate, increased to 63 from 62 yesterday with the swearing in of Senator Smart Adeyemi for the Kogi East senatorial seat as replacement for Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Adeyemi who emerged victorious in the Appeal Court-ordered re-run Kogi West election concluded last weekend, was administered oath of office at plenary yesterday by the
Clerk of the Senate, Nelson Ayewoh.
