INEC Chairman, 5 commissioners confirmed too
The Senate on Thursday confirmed former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, and 17 other ministerial nominees it had earlier screened despite a walk-out by senators elected on the platform of the opposition People’s Democratic Party.
The PDP senators’ action followed the move by the ruling All Progressives Congress to use their numerical advantage to clear Amaechi, which the opposition said had outstand ing issues to clear as recommended by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
The Senate had before the plenary gone into a closed-door session over the issue.
However, despite the walk-out, the Senate confirmed Amaechi and 17 others as ministers.
The Senate, mainly APC senators capitalising on their numerical advantage, also rejected the report of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which considered the petition against Amaechi by a group known as the Integrity Group.
The Senate at Thursday afternoon confirmed Professor Mahmud Yakubu as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, along with five other nominees as national commissioners of the electoral umpire.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on October 21st appointed the nominees before sending the list to the senate for confirmation.
Others confirmed apart from Prof Yakubu was the national commissioners are Mrs. Amina Zakari (North-West); Dr. Anthonia Okoosi-Simbine (North Central); Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo (North-East); Dr. Mohammed Mustafa Lecky (South-South) and Mr. Soyebi Adedeji Solomon (South-West).
It would be recalled that the National Council of States had earlier approved their nominations.
