5th November, 2019
The Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, postponed the screening of Raheem Olalekan, Resident Electoral Commissioner nominee for Osun State.
Chairman of the Committee Sen. Kabiru Gaya stated this at the screening held at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
He is to reappear before the committee on Friday, Nov. 8.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in a letter to the Senate dated Oct. 28, requested the confirmation of the appointment of Raheem Olalekan and two others as RECs.
The others are Umar Gajiram Commissioner (Borno) and Dr Alalibo Johnson Commissioner (Bayelsa).
Gaya who spoke to newsmen after the exercise said that the three nominees were invited to the committee and were all screened.
“They were asked questions and they answered to the best of their ability, there were no petitions for the two of the candidates Dr Alalibo Johnson and Alhaji Aminu Guram.
“There was a petition against Alhaji Olalekan from Osun state based on constitutional provision of the Act which said the President should nominate present Commissioners of INEC of people of integrity and good character and they should not be a card-carrying member of any political party.
“For Olalekan, there was a petition against him that he is a member of a political party, that he has run through campaigns and that he is a registered member of a political party.
“We asked him questions he defended himself to the best he could but there is still more to ask from him.
“We have given him two days to come back to us for more discussions,” Gaya said.