By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to nominate another person from Delta State as a National Commissioner representing South-South for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after the rejection of the nomination of Ms. Lauretta Onochie by the senate. 

Vanguard reliably gathered from the INEC office in Abuja, that the South-South geopolitical zone, Delta, and Bayelsa states have never had a National Commissioner nominated to INEC. 

A source that spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said, at the moment the only National Commissioner from the zone whose tenure was still subsisting is Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu. 

ALSO READ: UPU calls for speedy passage of Electoral Act Amendment Bill

Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu, the source explained ” is of Delta parentage but married to the son of erstwhile late Chief Mathew Mbu and was nominated to represent Cross River State for the zone and not Delta.

“It should be noted that Mrs. Thelma lremiren (though of Delta parentage) married an Esan husband from Edo state and was nominated to INEC by late Chief Tony Anenih (Esan). 
“She was nominated from Edo state to represent the zone and served from (2010-2015) not Delta. Unfortunately and surprisingly,  in 2016  another Edo nominee,  Dr. Mohammed Lecky was appointed again and served from (2016 – 2020). Delta has not had a National Commissioner nominated in INEC, ” the source said.

According to the source, Akwa Ibom was represented by Mr. Okpo Sam Kiaso Okpo (1999-2003), Cross River by Mr. Ekpenyoung Nsa (2003-2008), Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu (2017 till date). 

ALSO READ: Truck damages 13 vehicles in Ibadan after brake failure

Edo has produced two National Commissioners, Mrs. Thelma lremiren (2010-2015) and Dr. Mohammed Lecky (2016-2020), while Rivers State has produced Mr. Ignatius Sylvester Kogbara (1999-2003) and Dr. Ishmael lgbani who served two terms of eight years and left in 2015. 

It will be recalled that Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South) had in his presentation of the nominees screened for the position of National Commissioners said the Committee received several petitions against the nominations of Ms. Lauretta Onochie and Professor Sani Muhammad Adam.

He said that the petitions against Lauretta Onochie were against the backdrop of her involvement in politics and alleged membership of a political party. 

He, however, claimed that Onochie”s “nomination violated the Federal Character Principle as there is already a serving National Electoral Commissioner from Delta State, Barr. Mary Agbamuche-Mbu who was screened and confirmed by the 8th Senate.”

Vanguard News Nigeria