By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Senate has approved the dismissal of three Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) who had been suspended since 2023 for violating provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Act, election malpractice, and abandoning their duties without justification.
The Senate’s decision followed a request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging the house to formally terminate the appointments of the Resident Electoral Commissioners for Adamawa, Sokoto, and Abia states.
The affected officials include: Dr. Nura Ali – Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sokoto State; Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari – Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adamawa State and Professor Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu – Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abia State
A copy of the motion, obtained on Wednesday, revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) had indicted Dr. Nura Ali for corruption, incompetence, and allegedly accepting a $150,000 bribe from politicians.
Presiding over the plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio invoked relevant constitutional provisions, leading to the approval of the termination of the commissioners’ appointments.
Presenting the motion, Senate Leader Michael Bamidele Opeyemi cited Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the Senate to approve such dismissals.
