By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Senate has rejected the appointment of Ahmed Bello Mahmud as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) commissioner.
Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Suleiman Nazif while presenting the report on the floor on Thursday, informed that the committee’s extensive consultation with stakeholders from Zamfara State showed overwhelming objection to the appointment of Ahmad Bello Mahmud.
Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa who expressed displeasure over the rejection of Mahmud, described the committee’s report as insulting.
Marafa said, though he saw a copy of the letter from the state Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, expressing reservations over the Mahmud’s nomination; but he, as a Senator from the state was not consulted.
However, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, rose in support of the committee’s report, insisting that Mr. Mahmud should not be confirmed as REC. Adding that Bello Mahmud’s nomination did not enjoy the support of the stakeholders from Zamfara and as such, should be disqualified.
The Senate therefore, rejected Mahmud’s nomination as recommended by the committee.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, congratulated Amb (Dr.) Rufus O. Akeju and Dr. Mahmuda Isah over their confirmation as RECs and urged them to contribute their own quota to the development and improvement of the electoral process in Nigeria.
Sundiata Post recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had late last year nominated the trio of Amb (Dr.) Rufus O. Akeju (Lagos), Ahmad Bello Mahmud (Zamfara) and Dr. Mahmuda Isah (Kebbi), among others, as REC representing their respective states.
But in a controversial circumstance, the senate rejected the entire nominations on account of Executive-Legislature rift over the refusal of the Presidency to sack Mr. Ibrahim Magu, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).