The Nigerian Senate has voted to remove three suspended Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from office following a request by President Bola Tinubu. The decision came after reports of alleged misconduct and electoral malpractices implicating the suspended officials.
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu requested the National Assembly’s approval to remove three Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from office for alleged misconduct. The suspended RECs include Hudu Yunusa-Ari from Adamawa State, Nura Ali from Sokoto State, and another REC whose name was not immediately disclosed.
The request followed reports from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the State Security Services (SSS) implicating the suspended officials in electoral malpractices. The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, presented security reports that implicated Mr. Ali in a bribery scandal, alleging that he received $150,000 from politicians to manipulate the 2023 general elections in Sokoto State. Mr. Bamidele, during his motion to invoke Section 157 of the Nigerian Constitution, stated that Mr. Ali confessed to receiving the bribe during interrogation by the SSS. The Senate approved President Tinubu’s request with a ⅔ majority vote, with 94 senators, including principal and presiding officers, signing the attendance register. The motion, which sought to remove the suspended electoral officers from office, was supported by the Minority Leader, Abba Moro, who argued that the termination of appointments would serve as a deterrent to others in positions of authority. Mr. Yunusa-Ari was suspended on 17 April, 2023, after he unilaterally declared Aisha Binani, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, as the winner of the Adamawa State governorship rerun election while collation was still ongoing. Mr. Ali, the Sokoto electoral commissioner, was suspended on 6 March, 2023, through a letter signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Orlaran-Anthony. The final decision on whether to dismiss the suspended electoral commissioners rests with President Tinubu. However, with the nature of the allegations against the RECs, many anticipate that the president will accept the Senate’s resolution and direct law enforcement agencies to take further action.
Politics Nigeria Senate INEC Electoral Misconduct President Tinubu Corruption
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