Tinubu blunders, appoints new REC from Akwa Ibom as tenure of current one yet to expire

Mr Tinubu nominated Etekamba Umoren as the REC from Akwa Ibom while the current REC from the state, Monday Udo-Tom, has until January 2024 before his five-year tenure expires.

President Bola Tinubu has committed a blunder by nominating Etekamba Umoren from Akwa Ibom State as a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) when the tenure of the current commissioner from the state has yet to expire.

PREMIUM TIMES investigation showed that the tenure of Monday Udo-Tom, an indigene of Akwa Ibom, and currently the Delta State REC, will expire in January.

Therefore, if Mr Umoren is sworn in as REC, having been cleared by the Senate, the oil rich state would have two of its indigenes in that position, a clear violation of the laws of the land.

Illegal appointments

Last week, the president nominated Mr Umoren alongside nine others as RECs of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

PREMIUM TIMES would later find two of them, including Mr Umoren, to be members of Mr Tinubu’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), an affiliation that made their nominations and subsequent appointments illegal.

Mr Umoren also has a political link with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, having served as chief of staff to Mr Akpabio when he was governor of Akwa Ibom.

The other person is Isah Shaka, the nominee from Edo state, who is also believed to be a card-carrying member of the ruling party.

Another two, Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos) and Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers) are found to be long-term allies of prominent politicians in Mr Tinubu’s government.

The Senate confirmed all of them despite public outrage, a petition from a coalition of 17 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and a threat of legal action by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana.

Meanwhile, going by the Nigerian constitution, their nominations and subsequent confirmation was illegal as the third schedule to the Nigerian 1999 constitution clearly prohibits the appointment of partisan persons into the electoral commission.

“There shall be for each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a Resident Electoral Commissioner who shall be a person of unquestionable integrity and shall not be a member of any political party,” section 14, 3(b) Item F, third schedule of the 1999 constitution states.


Then a blunder

Beyond this illegality, however, Mr Tinubu committed a blunder with Mr Umoren’s nomination, as the REC from Akwa Ibom, Mr Udo-Tom, has until January 2024 before his five-year tenure expires.

He was sworn into the electoral commission (INEC) on 30 January 2019, meaning his five-year tenure ends in January 2024 and that there currently needs to be a vacancy for the position Mr Umoren was appointed to fill.


REC appointment

The Nigerian constitution, which created the office of REC for each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), states that all REC must serve for a complete tenure of five years.

The Electoral Act also states that the REC must be appointed in accordance with section 4 of the Federal Character Commission Act, which requires the need for equitability in the appointment of public officials.

Section 1(a) of the Act states that “the functions of the Commission shall be – to work out an equitable formula, subject to the approval of the President, for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the civil and the public services of the duration and of the States, the armed forces, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, bodies corporate owned by the Federal or a State Government and Extra-Ministerial Departments and parastatals of the Federation and States;”

Section 1(b) added that the functions include “to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government;”


REC removal

Meanwhile, RECs can only be removed by the president after a two–third vote in agreement from the Senate, according to the Electoral Act.

“The Resident Electoral Commissioner appointed under the Constitution may only be removed by the President, acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that the Resident Electoral Commissioner be so removed for inability to perform the functions of the office, whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause, or for misconduct,” Section 6(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 reads.

Meanwhile, INEC said its regulations prohibit any REC from serving in their states of origin. The commission, therefore, as a tradition, deployed RECs in any state in their geo-political zone other than their states of origin.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC, Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, says having two RECs from the same state of origin is not a usual practice.

“It’s not the usual practice to nominate two individuals from the same State for appointment as Resident Electoral Commissioners,” he said in a response to PREMIUM TIMES’ enquiry

The Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, which screened the REC nominees, Abdulaziz Yar’adua, did not respond to calls and messages sent to his line requesting comments on whether the committee was aware that there was no vacancy at the time it screened another REC.

The President’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, could not be reached for comments as his mobile phone line was not connecting and messages sent to his line were yet to be responded to as of the time of filing this report.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/639833-tinubu-blunders-appoints-new-rec-from-akwa-ibom-as-tenure-of-current-one-yet-to-expire.html

No good governance without credible elections

Those in charge of the screening have a question to answer

What do you expect from someone who tasted (licked) microphone when asked to test microphone.

So that he can find it easy for his agberos boys to grab and run away with the ballot box

Aphonj*rs in the mud

Hand works of the new cabals

There is a massive propaganda against the governor of AKS. APC is fighting hard to claim the state too . Take a look at how they are disqracing themselves. See president wer people vote for . God forbid BAThinq

By the time tinubu is done with Nigeria we will be in serious hostage situation

Nigerians dn enter one chance…😒😒

KingLennon:
Ok

Your signature is funny yo funny 🤣

Nothing concern me but E dey mind

This bulaba, BALABULU just they do waiting he like,,,the yeye supporters will say is matter of time,thank God APC no get their own filling Station and market place, them too they suffer

But why should it be the president that makes appointment of these electoral officers?
If I am to suggest, these positions should be left dor the civil servants within the commission, maybe to openly and freely elect. It could be made such that from certain level you'll be qualified to contest.

Let everything INEC be independent of the political class

So sad. The present regime has no regard for the constitution. Both the constitution and rule of law have been jettisoned by this administration.

Flagrant disregard and disobedience to the dictates of the constitution. With the way things are going, Nigeria is finished. If you get the opportunity, japa.

Correct

Rigging continues...

Na their problem be dat.. this man just want dey trend on top nonsense..

To appoint and to sign documents too dey sweet the man die! All him actions no dey get evidence, nah just to dey do as him brain tell am.

A mic licker can't possible give you good governance

Nigeria is finished

Foooooo0ls will start capping nonsense, they won’t bother read before they start dishing out their frustration.
It’s okay to appoint a New REC if the current Rec is going in January.
On a second thought why mislead people with headlines? What’s your gain ?

The person that wrote this erred and not familiar with civil servant rules. We are in the month of November for God's sake, and it is mandatory to a worker should proceed on leave 3 months to his retirement. What a hell is wrong with this idiot that wrote this?

Please go back to School

He is busy appointing people that will do rigging and perfect his corruption and criminality in government while the country continues to go down. It will never be well with everyone who helped to foist this disaster on this nation.

blunder is the mainstay of APC

Ok, noted.

socialmediaman:
No good governance without credible elections

You get bucket with you to drop your tears? If not pls get one now.

From Umoren N21Billion theft to Umoren not a graduate to Umoren not an indegene to now to Umoren came and the former REC term not finished then tomorrow Umoren is not Nigerian........blablabla.....

ATEAMS:
Hand works of the new cabals

slivertongue:
blunder is the mainstay of APC

Wittyness.

We saw all these disaster coming, but the tribal bigots and religion fanatics plus INEC and corrupt judges tarnish our expectations.
A presidential candidate that lick mic, what do you expect from him

KingLennon:
There is a massive propaganda against the governor of AKS. APC is fighting hard to claim the state too . Take a look at how they are disqracing themselves. See president wer people vote for . God forbid BAThinq

that governor should be proactive. from the look of things, it seems he will not perform better . He should wake up.