Senate suspends confirmation of Osun REC nominee ‘who was an APC member’

The senate has suspended the confirmation of Raheem Olalekan, a resident electoral commissioner (REC) nominee from Osun state.

Olalekan’s appointment was not confirmed following the recommendations in a report presented by Kabir Gaya, chairman of the senate committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While presenting the report of his committee on Wednesday, Gaya recommended that Olalekan’s confirmation be stood down for further legislative work.

The Osun REC nominee was in the eye of the storm when he said he was a former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He made the statement when he appeared before the senate INEC committee for screening.

But speaking on the matter after the report was presented, Ovie Omo-Agege, deputy president of the senate, said the committee did not disqualify the nominee.

“This nominee from Osun state should be cleared,” the deputy senate president said.

But Enyinnaya Abaribe, minority leader, said Olalekan’s appointment should not be confirmed because he admitted that he is a “card-carrying member of the APC”.

“I see the job the deputy senate president is trying to do. The committee was being tactful. He admitted that he is a card-carrying member. There are lots of people in Osun,” Abaribe said.

Thereafter, the confirmation of the Osun nominee was stood down after it was put to a voice vote by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

But the senate confirmed the appointments of Umar Mukhtar Gajiram (Borno) and Aiaiibo Johnson (Bayelsa) as resident electoral commissioners.