Pascal Oparada
Nigerians have commended the Senate for rejecting Lauretta Onochie, nominated by President Muhammau Buhari as INEC Commissioner representing Delta State.
There have been a public outcry over Onochie’s nomination who has been Buhari’s side, with many saying she is openly partisan and would not be impartial in her duties as INEC commissioner.
Onochie has, however, denied belonging to any political party. She said she had stopped party politics since 2019, even though evidence shows she has been involved in party politics as recently as June last year.
Former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose commended the Senate for rejecting her and said the action is a win for democracy.
“On rejection of Lauretta Onochie’s nomination as INEC Commissioner,I commend the Senate for listening to Nigerians.
This portends great hope for democracy & I hope the NASS can go further by subjecting itself more to what represents the interest of Nigerians.
Congrats Nigerians,” he said.
Reno Omokri, an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan said by nominating Onochie, Buhari showed disregard to the Nigerian people.
“I commend the Senate for dropping Lauretta Onochie. I did not want to say anything while the process was ongoing, but by nominating such an odious and pedestrian person, Buhari showed that even the little tolerance we have for him is wasted. The man has no honour,” Omokri said.
Aisha Yesufu, an activist said, Nigerians should expect Buhari to forward her name to the Senate again for confirmation.
“This is the second time Lauretta Onochie @Laurestar has been rejected by the Senate!
Wouldn’t put it past Buhari to send her name again,” Yesufu said.
Onochie has been a controversial person after being appointed by Buhari as a media aide in 2015. She was always at loggerheads with the Nigerian media over her proclivity for churning out disinformation.
She had once tweeted a road in Rwanda as being constructed by the Buhari’s government.
During the build-up to the 2019 elections, she tweeted an NGO’s food pack as being the ones shared by the then-presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, to woo voters.
