Senate Rejects Onochie As INEC Commissioner
Onochie’s non-confirmation followed the report by the Senate Committee on (INEC), Senator Kabir Gaya who said her nomination breaches Federal Character principles.
Joy Kalu 
The Senate on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, rejected the confirmation of Lauretta Onochie as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Chairman of the Committee, Kabiru Gaya, in his report said Onochie did not satisfy the provisions of the Federal Character Principles.
The Senate at the committee of the whole subsequently voted against her nomination.
Onochie was nominated for the job by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2020.
Her nomination sparked outrage over concerns that she is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but the presidential aide said she resigned her membership of the ruling party in 2019.
There have been demonstrations against Onochie’s nomination by different civil society organisations.
While presenting the report on Tuesday, Gaya said Onochie was disqualified on federal character principles, adding that there is currently a serving commissioner from Delta state, where Onochie hails from.
