Senate Considers Buhari’s Request To Confirm Ex-INEC Chairman’s Reappointment

The Senate has considered the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to confirm the reappointment of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

During the plenary on Wednesday at the upper chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja, the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, urged the lawmakers to consider the request of the President.

He informed his colleagues that the request was made in accordance with the provision of Section 154(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

Thereafter, the lawmakers referred the President’s request to the Senate Committee on INEC for further legislative action and to report back on Tuesday next week.

READ ALSO: Yakubu Hands Over INEC Leadership, Awaits Senate Confirmation For Reappointment

Similarly, Senator Abdullahi asked the lawmakers to consider President Buhari’s request for the confirmation of the appointment of Professor Abdullahi Zuru as INEC national commissioner.

He noted that Professor Zuru’s appointment was in line with Paragraph 14 of part 1(F) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

Again, the lawmakers referred the request to the Senate Committee on INEC for further legislative action and to report back on Tuesday next week.

The Presidency announced Professor Yakubu’s reappointment as INEC chairman for another five-year term on October 27.

But his reappointment is subject to approval by members of the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

On November 9, Professor Yakubu handed over the leadership of INEC to Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Muazu who acts as the chairman, following the completion of his first term.

He was first appointed by President Buhari to oversee the activities of the electoral umpire in November 2015, six months after the Nigerian leader assumed office.

Since the appointment of Professor Yakubu who took over from Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC has conducted many elections, including the 2019 polls which saw the President extending his stay in office for another four years.