Eight months after the Senate rejected her nomination as a National Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President Muhammadu Buhari has resubmitted her name for the same position.
Onochie is Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, who was first nominated by the President in October 2020 but was rejected by the Senate.
Following her second nomination, Senate on Wednesday referred Onochie’s name to its Committee on INEC for screening as a Commissioner to represent Delta State, which is currently controlled by the People’s Democratic Party.
At her first nomination, many lawmakers were against her, with the observation that her relationship with the ruling All Progressives Congress disqualified her from holding such a position in the electoral commission.
After the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan read out her name from Buhari’s letter, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Minority Leader, wondered why Onochie’s name was being resubmitted.
Lawan answered that the Senate Committee on INEC would handle the matter, noting that committee was to submit its report within two weeks.
Two other names were also nominated, in addition to Onochie.
