Lauretta Onochie’s Nomination As INEC Commissioner Is Ominous and Assault on Nigerian Constitution and Democracy – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blasted the Nigerian president, Muhammed Buhari for having nominated his staff and Special Assistant on social media, Ms. Lauretta Onochie as possible commissioner for the supposed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party in a press statement made available to 9News Nigeria described Buhari’s appointment of Ms. Lauretta Onochie who is an official member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a national commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as a highly provocative assault on our nation’s constitution and democratic process.

PDP said that judging from Mr. President’s public promises, one would have thought that he was desirous of leaving a legacy of credible elections, having failed in all ramifications of governance, but that this nomination of his personal staff, Lauretta Onchie, as INEC national commissioner, supports the position of the PDP that his statements were mere glib talks on electoral sanctity and clearly demonstrates that he has no plans whatsoever to leave a legacy of credible polls.

Further more, PDP said that being a card-carrying member of the APC as records shows (from Ward 5 Onicha Olona, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta state), Onochie’s nomination is in clear violation of paragraph 14 of the 3rd schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which forbids a person involved in partisan politics to hold office as a member of INEC.

PDP said that It is therefore surprising that having sworn to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. President is taking actions that are antithetical to the very constitution and democratic governance.

According to the press statement, President Buhari’s actions are deliberate attempts to inflame social tensions, undermine Nigerian constitution and desecrate the sanctity of the country’s electoral process, rather than finding solutions to the myriads of problems pervading our country.

PDP also declared on a final note that they are standing shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians and will deploy every legitimate means democratically possible to stop the approval of this provocative nomination of Lauretta Onochie as INEC national commissioner.

The Press Statement was signed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.