Onochie disowns APC at Senate screening, insists she left party since 2019

In three quick succession, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the President, Lauretta Onochie, yesterday, denied her membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Standing before the Senator Kabiru Gaya-led Senate Committee on INEC to defend her nomination as national commissioner representing Delta State in the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja, the presidential aide insisted that she ceased being a card-carry member of the ruling party since 2019 after President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election.

Though the claim elicited reactions from lawmakers, the South South native stressed her non-partisanship status to discharge the work she is being nominated.

Others that are seeking confirmation nine months after their nomination on October 12, 2020 include Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina), Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti), Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa), Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam (North Central) and Dr. Baba Bila (North East).

Onochie’s choice has ever since generated opposition from Nigerians of diverse inclinations, including civil society organisation (CSOs) that accused her of partisanship in words and conduct, thus unfit for the office.

The CSOs had claimed that her nomination negated some sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), federal character principles and other extant laws.

But the nominee, during the screening, pointed out that her romance with the Buhari Campaign Organisation, dating back to 2015, ended after the Nigerian leader returned to office for his second and final term two years ago.

Reminded of a June 30, 2021 affidavit sworn to at an FCT High Court admitting her membership of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) and the APC, Onochie maintained her ground.

As the division and opposition mounted yesterday, especially from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers, who asked her to recuse herself from the appointment, the session was further torn apart by Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, who demanded that she should be placed on oath after denying her APC membership.

Onochie argued that her new posture informed why she did not participate in the party’s recent membership validation project.

On issue of having two persons nominated from same as INEC National Commissioners, she explained: “I am from Delta, Mrs. May Agbamuche Mbu, is also from the state, but she is married to someone from Cross River and she was nominated to represent Cross River, and not Delta State.”

Prodded further on her capacity to be impartial if confirmed, the presidential aide said she has learnt to stand with the law, policies, due process and procedures, having worked as a lecturer and trainer of people with learning difficulties that had suffered all manners of discrimination.

To Opeyemi’s oath request, Senators Ike Ekweremadu and Seriake Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa) objected, pointing out that it was not in line with the Senate rules.

In his remarks, the panel chair, Senator Gaya, said they would turn out their report on the strength of responses of nominees.