Senate Confirms INEC Commissioner Nominee Accused Of Being An APC Chieftain
- Rhoda Gumus who is from Bayelsa was confirmed as an INEC national commissioner on Wednesday, February 2
- Gumus who have been accused of being an APC member was confirmed by the Senate during plenary on Wednesday
- CSO like Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has petitioned the Senate over Gumus' nomination before she was confirmed
Despite petitions against the Senate, it confirmed a commissioner nominee of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Rhoda Gumus.
Gumus was confirmed as a national commissioner of INEC during plenary on Wednesday, February 2, despite outrage over claims that he is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), The Cable reports.
Source: UGC
Before Gumus' confirmation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) had in a letter acknowledged by the Senate stated that she is a card-carrying member of the ruling party.
However, speaking at the red chamber, the chairman of the Senate committee on INEC, Kabir Gaya, said no petition was brought against Gumus who hails from Bayelsa state.
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Gaya was quoted to have said:
“The nominees were asked questions and they answered soundly. Mr President, we only received one petition in regard to Major-General Alkali.
“But through the media, after we had submitted our report, we were hearing news about a different person (Gumus) again. The committee received a petition from Taraba elders against Alkali over incontinence.”
INEC commissioner's nominee, an APC card-carrying member, HURIWA petitions NASS
Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari had been accused of nominating an alleged card-carrying member of the APC as INEC national commissioner for Bayelsa state.
The allegation was made by HURIWA in a petition dated 26 of January 2022 and addressed to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
HURIWA in a statement made available to Legit.ng, alleged that Gumus was a card-carrying member of the APC.
In a petition signed by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, Gumus' nomination was in breach of the 1999 constitution as amended and the Electoral Act.
In a petition signed by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, Gumus' nomination was in breach of the 1999 constitution as amended and the Electoral Act.
Source: Legit.ng
