The Senate on Tuesday rejected the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as an INEC National Commissioner.
The Upper house while confirming Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah, (Katsina), Prof. Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti), Saidu Ahmad (Jigawa), Dr Baba Bila (North-East) and Prof. Abdullahi Zuru (North-West) said it was against the Federal Character Principle to have two persons from the same state as INEC National Commissioners.
Committee Chairman, Kabiru Gaya cited the presence of Mrs May Agbamuche Mbu from Delta, as a National Commissioner of INEC, as a reason for her rejection.
Since her nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari, there has been massive outcry, especially from members of the opposition and civil society organisations who claim she is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).