The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan, not to test the will of the people in his desperation to push through the confirmation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Lauretta Onochie, as a national commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party said to do so would be acting against the wishes of the people and the dictates of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The party in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Senator Lawan was directly testing the will of the people by his failure to return Onochie’s nomination to President Buhari as demanded by Nigerians.
“Our party cautions that the Senate President is pitching the institution of the Senate against the generality of Nigerians,” adding that “the consequence of such arrogant derision to the definite provision of the 1999 Constitution as well as the precise demands by Nigerians to return Onochie’s nomination to Mr President, could cost the institution its respect with the people.”
He continued: “Our party is appalled that Senator Lawan, who swore to protect the constitution, will brazenly debase its clear provision in paragraph 14 of the 3rd schedule by sending a card-carrying member of a political party for clearance as INEC national commissioner.
“Sending Onochie’s nomination to the Senate Committee on INEC for clearance is completely offensive to all parliamentary procedure of due process as it is akin to sending the name of President Buhari to the committee for clearance as INEC Chairman or national officer.
“If he meant well, Senator Lawan ought to, upon receiving the obnoxious nomination, immediately returned same to President Buhari and advise him to send a replacement.
“Senator Lawan must know that he is holding the office of the Senate President in trust and that the constitution has ample and unambiguous provisions with regard to a legislative official, who chooses to grossly violates its provisions, as being witnessed in his desperation to confirm Onochie as INEC official.
“In the same vein, our party, in solidarity with Nigerians, urges the Chairman of Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya, to detach and distance himself from Senator Lawan, in his mission to desecrate the sanctity of our electoral system.”
The main opposition party counseled Gaya not to heed to Lawan’s push, urging him to move against the demand by Nigerians that Onochie’s consideration be turned down.
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