Senate finally confirms Aisha Dahir-Umar as PenCom DG

The senate has confirmed the nomination of Aisha Dahir-Umar as the director-general (DG) of the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

President Muhammadu Buhari had asked the senators to confirm her appointment in September.

But after Buhari’s request was read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Enyinnaya Abaribe, senate minority leader, said the nomination was in breach of the law setting up the commission and of the federal character principle.

Abaribe had argued that section 20(1), section 21(1) and (2) of the PenCom Act stipulate that a DG must be appointed from the same zone as the past DG to complete an outstanding tenure.

The former director-general is from the south-east.

But Lawan said any petition against the nomination of Dahir-Umar, who is from Adamawa, should be sent to the committee in charge of screening the nominee.

On the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, Mpigi Barinada, vice-chairman of the establishment committee, said Abaribe’s submission is not applicable in the situation because the former board was dissolved.

“It is not an intermittent vacancy but a new governing board after the dissolution of the former board,” Barinada said.

Also speaking on the appointment, Lawan added that there was no basis for the minority leader’s argument.

“The entire life of the board has finished,” the senate president said.

“But there is no basis for this argument because it will fall flat on its face.”

Apart from Abaribe, Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman of the senate committee on judiciary, also opposed Umar’s nomination.

However, her nomination was confirmed after it was put to a voice vote by Lawan.

Others confirmed as commissioners are: Oyindasola Oni, Clement Oyedele Akintola, Ayim Nyerere and Charles Emukowhate.

The nomination of Hanna Hanney Musa Musawa was stood down because she was unable to provide her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

Read findings by TheCable about the issues surrounding the nomination of Dahir-Umar as PenCom DG here.