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Tag: Lauretta Onochie

Again CSOs Fault Transmission Of Lauretta Onochie’s Name To NASS For Confirmation
… May Explore Legal Action Against Lawmakers, FG
By Williams Anuku Abuja
Over ten civil society organisations have again faulted the Federal Government for transmitting the name of Mrs Lauretta Onochie to the National Assembly for confirmation as one of the National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
At a program on Wednesday in Abuja, they prevailed on the Senate to reject her nomination on the grounds that she is too partisan and infact a card carrying member of political parties in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Some of the CSOs who moved against her nomination includes Yiaga Africa, Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa PAACA, International Press Centre, the Albino Foundation, Centre For Citizens With Disability CDD among others.
They equally demanded that beyond Onochie’s rejection by the Senate Committee on INEC, the National Assembly must ensure that proper scrutiny and due diligence should be exercised in confirming other nominees, including ensuring that nominees to positions of INEC are individuals with impeccable character, unquestionable neutral inclinations, disposition and competence.
According to the CSOs, failure to yield to these demands may elicit legal actions against the presidency because the development may set a negative precedence for the electoral body.
“Mrs Lauretta Onochie is not qualified to be appointed as INEC’s National Commissioner based on the fact that she is a British citizen, thus falling short of the constitutional requirements for being appointed to that position as stated in sections 156(1a) and 66(1a) of the 1999 Constitution.
“Further proof of Mrs Onochie being a British citizen is contained in the fact that until recently, she was a full, card carrying member of the British Conservative Party, even contesting elections for a councillorship position in Thames Ward in the London Borough of Barking and Degenham in 2010 as a member of the UK Conservative Party.
“The fact of her dual citizenship and political activities in the UK raises major questions on her loyalty and commitment to Nigeria, “the CSOs insisted.
June 23, 2021
Civil groups task FG on INEC appointments
…maintain call for Onochie’s rejection
By Mike Oboh
Civil Society Group Situation Room has tasked the federal government on the need to appoint credible persons as INEC commissioners as the tenure of most of them expires this year just as it once again called on the Senate to reject the nomination of Lauretta Onochie, Senior Special Adviser to President Buhari, nomination as INEC commissioner.
The convener of the Civil group Situation Room, Ene Obi made the declaration on Thursday while speaking to newsmen in Abuja.
Obi said the government should start considering people for appointment as INEC commissioners as the tenure of most of them in the service runs to and end this year.
“Situation Room wishes to remind the federal government of the State Resident Electoral Commissioners of INEC whose tenure runs out at the end of the year, to begin to think of nomination of persons within the set criteria.
“We also call on the senate to reaffirm the integrity and independence of Nigeria Electoral System by rejecting the nomination of Mrs Lauretta Onochie as INEC national commissioner,” Obi said.
The group said that if important consideration is fairness and justice to all contending parties, Onochie has shown that she does not have the qualities and capacity to be accommodating to all, hence Nigerians of all tendencies have opposed her appointment as she will dent the country’s electoral process and democracy.
Obi said as a political appointee and staff of the incumbent President , Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress, APC, her utterance, statements, demeanor and carriage has always conveyed and communicated political bias and partisanship in support of the ruling party, though the group do not criticize her royal to her party , they highlighted that these traits are not suited for the position of a non partisan agency.
“Section 156(1) of the constitution makes it mandatory that an appointee at INEC shall not be a member of a political party. It is immaterial that such a person in anticipation for appointment quickly resigned his or her membership of a political party.
“Item F, paragraph 14 of the third schedule of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria forbids a partisan politician as a member of INEC-a body charged under the constitution to unbiasedly conduct a free and fair election, the claim of partisanship is glaring and has been exhibited orally and in writing,” the civil group said.
The convener said Onochie’s nomination amount to a major attempt at undermining the efforts to build credibility for an improved electoral process in the county hence it is important to note that the composition of INEC is transparently non partisan and independent of partisan political bias.
June 10, 2021
Senate screens Lauretta Onochie, five others as INEC commissioners
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday, asked the Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission to screen for confirmation, the appointments of Ms. Lauretta Onochie, and five others as INEC commissioners.
The development came eight months after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), sent the list of the nominees to the Senate for screening.
It was learnt that protests among the Peoples Democratic Party members in the red chamber halted the process of the screening as the opposition federal lawmakers were said to have accused Onochie, who is presently a presidential spokesperson, of unnecessarily casting aspersions on their party.
They also faulted the idea of making Onochie, a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress as an INEC Commissioner to represent Delta State on the board of the commission.
Other names on the list are, Prof. Muhammad Kallah (Katsina); Prof. Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti); Saidu Ahmad (Jigawa); Prof Sani Adam (North- Central); and Dr Baba Bila (North-East).
The Senate INEC panel, which has Senator Kabiru Gaya as Chairman, has four weeks to conclude the screening and report back to the red chamber at plenary.
June 9, 2021
BREAKING: Buhari appoints media aide, three others as INEC Commissioners
President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated his Special Assistant on Social Media, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, for screening and confirmation as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), representing Delta State.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan read President Buhari’s letter of request at plenary.
Also nominated for confirmation as National Commissioners of INEC are: Prof. Mohammed Sani representing Katsina; Prof. Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti) and Seidu Ahmed (Jigawa)
Buhari said the nomination was pursuant to Paragraph 14 of part 1F of the First Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
Details shortly…
October 13, 2020
Buhari’s aide slams Wizkid for tackling Buhari, calls him dumb
Social media aide of President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie has slammed pop singer, Wizkid for his outburst on Sunday.
Lauretta describe Wizkid’s outburst as “crass ignorance, insensitivity and childishness”.
Recall that Wizkid via Twitter against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) told Buhari to focus on ending indiscriminate killings by SARS.
“Donald Trump is not your business! Old man! Police/Sarz still killing Nigerian youth on a daily! Do something! Nothing concern u for America! Face your country !!” he had written.
Responding on Tuesday, Mrs Onochie said the 30-year-old would learn some manners when he grows older.
Read also: Wizkid drags President Buhari over SARS
It’s not disrespectful to call anyone old. It’s the way and manner Ayo Balogun addressed the President that leaves a sour taste in the mouth,”
He exhibited crass ignorance, insensitivity and childishness. But hey, he’s a #DumbkidNotWhizKid. When he grows up, he might learn respect.” she said
October 7, 2020
#EndSARS protest is an attack by cyber criminals, Presidency reacts
President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Lauretta Onochie has reacted to the #endsars protest by Nigerians.
Nigerians pulled a trend on twitter on Saturday, October 3, #endsars, calling on the Nigeria government to ban the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery squad.
She wrote on Sunday, October 4, ‘’I have no doubt that there are some staff of SARS who are unprofessional in their dealings with d public, same way we have unprofessionalism in d Army, Mainstream Police, Customs, Civil Service, Public Service, traders, Lawyers, Doctors, journalists, teachers, pastors, etc.
‘’But what is going on now, is a COORDINATED ATTACK BY CYBER CRIMINALS joined by UNSUSPECTING INNOCENT CITIZENS.
‘’This is not the first time. We must stand by our national institutions while working to improve their effectiveness. That’s what patriotism is about.
NO SENTIMENTS.’’
Earlier, convener of the revolutionnow, Omoyele Sowore, announced that there will be a nationwide protest against the ill-treatment of the operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) against young Nigerians.
He disclosed the locations to be Police state head quarters in Lagos and Abuja.
He said, ”Locations: @PoliceNG state headquarters in Lagos. Lagos has the most brutal longest-running killer #SARS in Nigeria @PoliceNGForce Headquarters in Abuja and all State Police Hqs will by fully #Occupy until SARS is disbanded and totally dismantled! #RevolutionNow @AmnestyNigeria”
October 4, 2020
Special adviser to the president calls for arrest of David Ibiyeomie after ‘insult’ video went viral
Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social media, Lauretta Onochie has reacted to Pastor David Ibiyeomie’s attack on popular media Personality (OAP), Daddy Freeze.
Onochie took to her official Twitter account on Friday to condemn Ibiyeomie’s threats to kill Freeze.
She also called out the Nigeria Police Force to take action against Ibiyeomie, describing the pastor’s action as ‘evil’.
She wrote;
”THIS IS EVIL
I am a Christian. I have been watching this absurdity for days now, looking for any attribute of Christ in it.
I haven’t seen any.
Among others, threatening to kill someone is a crime. I’m not sure if this requires a petition to the
@PoliceNG before they act.
EVIL!” she wrote
September 12, 2020