The Senate on Thursday commenced the screening of four nominees for appointment as National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The nominees, who are currently in the Senate building for a screening exercise by the Senate Committee on INEC, include Laure that Onochie, a media aide of the President Muhammadu Buhari.
Other nominees include Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah(Katsina); Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti), and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa).
Others include Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam (North-Central); Dr. Baba Bila (North East).
As at 12noon, Onochie was waiting for her turn to be screened by the Senate panel chaired by Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South).
LEADERSHIP reports that the nomination of Onochie, who currently serves as Senior Special Assistant on New Media to President Buhari, has provoked serious public outcry with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and civil society organisations (CSOs), kicking against her nomination.
The PDP said Onochie is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); and by virtue of her political affiliation with the APC, she is not fit and proper to be appointed as an election officer.
The party argued that Onochie would pollute the atmosphere of neutrality, and fair play in the Commission if the Senate goes ahead to approve her nomination.