The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed that presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie is not a registered member of the party.
The party in a statement on Sunday signed by Cyprian Ashibuogu, Clement Ozegbe, Nkem Osu, and Onyeisi Nwokolobia, urged the Senate to go ahead and confirm the nomination of Onochie as a commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
APC also urged the Senate to ignore protests and petitions against the nomination of Onochie.
“She is a technocrat and has been part of us and she is not a card-carrying member of our party,” the party said.
The APC also described as ‘false’, a petition from a senatorial district in Delta State which has vehemently opposed her nomination because she is ‘Anioma daughter’.
Naija News recalls Lauretta Onochie, Special Assistant on Social Media to President Muhammadu Buhari had popularly declared recently that she does not belong to the APC or any other political party.
Onochie stated this last Thursday when she appeared for screening for appointment as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Onochie’s nomination by President Buhari has sparked heated arguments and reactions with some stakeholders saying she isn’t qualified for the role because she is a card-carrying member of the APC.
She, however, disclosed during her screening at the senate that she stopped being a party member in 2019.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has stated that he would not be surprised if Lauretta Onochie is cleared as a commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking to The PUNCH, Ozekhome said the senate might clear Onochie despite widespread criticism.
He stated that by confirming Onochie, the Ahmad Lawan-led Senate would only be reinforcing itself as “arguably the worst in Nigeria’s legislative history since the golden days of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Nwafor Orizu and the 8th National Assembly.”
He stated that Onochie’s nomination for INEC job was faulty, because of her affiliation with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawyer pointed out that the 62-year old female politician is a diehard devotee of President Muhammadu Buhari.
This article was originally published on Nigeria News