Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has sought the Senate’s approval to dismiss the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of Abia, Adamawa, and Sokoto states.
The affected RECs are Dr Nura Ali (Sokoto), Barr Hudu Yunusa Ari (Adamawa), and Prof Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu (Abia).
They were alleged to have committed infractions on the Electoral Act, compromised elections, and abandoned their duties without valid reasons during the 2022 general election.
Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Wednesday.
The President stated that the RECs had been suspended by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before he assumed office more than a year ago.
Tinubu’s letter noted that the three Resident Electoral Commissioners had been suspended for misconduct since March 2022, before the current administration took office.
The President is expected to ask the Senate to confirm nominees to fill the vacant positions in the coming days.
Before the 18 March governorship elections, INEC had withdrawn the REC in Abia, Ike Uzochukwu, and his Sokoto counterpart, Nura Ali, for allegedly jeopardising the process by mishandling logistics and failing to declare results for all National Assembly seats respectively.
The electoral body stated that the two RECs committed the offences during the 25 February poll and were not permitted to officiate during the governorship and state assembly elections.
INEC had taken Hudu to court on a six-count charge, including the announcement of false electoral results, violating the oath of neutrality, breach of duty, disorderly conduct at an election, inciting disturbance, and impersonating a public servant.
