Tinubu asks senate to confirm Umoren, Akpabio’s ally, as Akwa Ibom INEC REC

President Bola Tinubu has asked the senate to confirm Etekamba Umoren as the resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom state.

Umoren, an ally of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is among 10 INEC REC nominees the president recommended to the senate for confirmation.

In 2015, Umoren, ex-secretary to the state government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom was named for alleged financial malpractice when Akpabio was grilled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Tinubu’s request was read on the floor of the senate on Tuesday by the Akpabio.

The president made his request in line with section 154 (1) of the constitution and section 6 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“In compliance with the provisions of section 154(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I am pleased to present, for confirmation by the Senate, the names of the under-listed ten (10) newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission,” the letter by the president reads.

The other nominees are Isah Shaka Ehimeakne (Edo), Oluwatoyin Babalola (Ekiti), Abubakar Ahmed Ma’aji (Gombe), Shehu Wahab (Kwara), Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos), Aminu Kasimu Idris (Nasarawa), Mohammed Sadiq (Niger), Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers), and Abubakar Dambo (Zamfara).

The president also asked the senate to confirm managing director and board member nominees for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

The nominees are Chukuemeka Agbasi (MD), Ibi Manasseh (board member), Oye Ojobe (executive/board member), Kenneth Ugbala (executive/board member), Timothy Aduda (executive/board member), Babatunde Daramola-Oniru (board member), Preye Oseke (executive/board member), and Aminu Papa (executive/board member).

Others are Abubakar Bappa (executive/board member), Shehu Mohammed (board member), and Yusuf Othman (board member).