President Bola Tinubu’s plea to formally revoke the appointments of the three Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) overseeing Sokoto, Abia, and Adamawa States was granted by the Senate on Wednesday.
Dr. Nura Ali of Sokoto State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari of Adamawa State, and Prof. Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu of Abia State are among the impacted officials’ RECs.
The ruling came after the Senate considered a resolution at Wednesday’s plenary session that was filed by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio presented a letter from President Tinubu asking the upper house’s consent to use Section 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to revoke the appointments of the three suspended RECs.
As the debate’s moderator, Senator Bamidele emphasised a number of accusations made against the participants.Dr. Nura Ali was indicted by security agencies for allegedly compromising the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections through corruption and incompetence. Reports from the Department of State Services (DSS) revealed that he confessed to receiving $150,000 from politicians.
“Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari was suspended by former President Muhammadu Buhari for unlawfully declaring the Adamawa governorship election results, usurping the role of the Returning Officer.
“Prof. Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu was suspended for mishandling election logistics, abandoning the governorship and state assembly elections, and failing to reschedule supplementary elections.”
The Senate referred to Section 157 (1) of the Constitution, which reads: “A person holding any of the offices to which this section applies may only be removed from that office by the President, acting on an address supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate, for misconduct or for inability to discharge the functions of the office.”
When the Senate President put the move to a voice vote, everyone agreed with the suggestion.
President Tinubu will now take final action regarding the impacted RECs’ termination of office after receiving the Senate’s resolution.