- The Senate has confirmed the appointment of eight Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs)
- The confirmation came as a shock some public commentators
- The Senate had vowed not to confirm any nominee from the presidency before now
The Senate has confirmed the appointment of eight Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) today, Thursday, July 20.
The confirmation came as a shock to some public commentators as the upper chamber had vowed not to confirm any nominee from the presidency.
The Senate's decision was taken after the presidency insisted on keeping the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu despite his rejection twice by majority of the senators.
The Nigerian Senate continues its confirmation of RECs nominees. Photo credit: Nigerian Senate
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The Senate President, Bukola Saraki however clarified the Senate's position, explaining that the red chamber would only limit confirmation to the agencies stated in the constitution of which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is included.
NAIJ.com gathered that the Senate stepped down the RECs stepped down the confirmation of the nominees from Kebbi, Lagos and Zamfara states and rejected the nominee from Niger state.
The Senate had earlier approved 15 out of the 27 nominees sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.
President Buhari nominated the RECs three months ago. 14 of them were sworn in by INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu on Friday, July 7.
All the confirmed nominees were screened by the police, Code of Conduct Bureau and Department of State Services.
Meanwhile, a bill for an act to amend the National Youth Service Corps Act is currently in the Senate.
The bill which seeks to provide for free and compulsory acquisition of vocational skills by corps members and split it into two parts is sponsored by Senator Stella Oduah.
Oduah, a former minister of aviation, is a Peoples Democratic Party member representing Anambra North senatorial district.
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Watch the NAIJ.com TV video report of an NYSC member who renovated four blocks of classrooms in the outskirts of Abuja.