Lauretta Onochie, an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, has denied being a member of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming she withdrew her membership since 2019.
Onochie during her screening by the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) challenged anybody to come out to show evidence of participating in APC activities since 2019.
Recall a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) Tuesday, urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Lauretta Onochie as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Likewise, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, during his interview with NewsWireNGR had also condemned the nomination. According to him, “The desperation of the ruling political class to rig the 2023 election is horrifying. How do you justify the nomination of Onochie?
“It is just shameless. It is a level of impunity and disregard for the Nigerian people and our collective morality that a President would recommend his aide. Not just his aide, his aide who under oath claimed to be a member of the ruling political party (APC)”.
Onochie arrived at the Senate wing of the National Assembly at about 11 am; accompanied by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Babajide Omoworare.
She was immediately ushered into the office of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabri Gaya.
Moments after, Onochie re-emerged from behind closed doors and headed to Hearing Room 211 new venue for the screening exercise after the initial venue was changed.
Others screened are Professor Mohammed Sani, Professor Kunle Ajayi, Ekiti; Saidu Ahmad, Jigawa; Professor Muhammad Kallah, Katsina; Dr Baba Bila, North-East, and Professor Sani Adam, North-Central.
