The Senate on Tuesday began screening of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) nominees sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation.

Senate leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, presented the president’s request for approval of the nominees at plenary in Abuja.

After the motion, the senate directed its Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to screen the nominees and report back in two weeks.

The nominees are Godswill Obioma, Abia; Ibrahim Abdullahi, Adamawa; Ahmad Makama, Bauchi; James Apam, Benue; Mike Igini, Delta; Nwachukwu Orji, Ebonyi; Iloh Chuks, Enugu and Hussaini Pai, Federal Capital Territory.

Other are Sadiq Musa, Kaduna; Jibrin Zarewa, Kano; Asmau Maikudi, Katsina; Mahmuda Isah, Kebbi; Samuel Egwu, Kogi; Rufus Akeju, Lagos; Mustapha Zubairu, Niger; Agboke Olaleke, Ogun and Sam Olumekun, Ondo.

The list also contained names of AbdulGaniyu Raji, Oyo; Riskuwa Shehu, Sokoto; Kasim Geidam, Yobe; Ahmad Mahmud, Zamfara; Nentawe Yilwatda, Plateau and Umar Ibrahim, Taraba.

Emeka Joseph, Imo; Obo Effanga, Cross River; Francis Ezeonu, Anambra and Briyai Frankland, Bayelsa, were also nominated.

President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, directed that Suleiman Nazif (APC-Bauchi) should head the committee in the absence of its chairman, Ali Ndume, currently on suspension.

It would be recalled that the Senate had, after receipt of the list of nominees, threatened that it would not treat it.

Its grouse was the Executive’s handling of the refusal of the chamber to confirm Ibrahim Magu as chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In another development, the senate referred a list of three non-career ambassadorial nominees to its Committee on Foreign Affairs for scrutiny.

The nominees are Justice Sylvanus Nsofor, Imo; Joseph Iji, Ondo, and Yusuf Hinna, Gombe.

The committee is to report back to the Senate in two weeks. 

NAN