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Another Peter: Lauretta Onochie Denies APC Membership Three Times
The Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday screened President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Ms. Lauretta Onochie, for the position of national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, there was a disagreement among members of the Senate Committee on INEC over the nomination.
Onochie, whose nomination has raised controversy over her alleged partisanship and for being a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), denied her membership of the ruling party three times before the Senate committee.
This was despite the fact that she deposed to an affidavit in an Abuja High court in June 2021 affirming her membership of APC.
The Senate Committee on INEC, headed by Senator Kabiru Gaya, screened Onochie along with five other nominees whose names were sent to the Senate for confirmation on October 12, 2020, by Buhari.
Nominees screened along with Onochie were Prof. Muhammad Kallah (Katsina), Prof. Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti), Mr. Saidu Ahmad (Jigawa), Prof. Sani Adam (North-central) and Dr. Baba Bila (North-east).
Addressing the committee, Onochie initially admitted to being a card-carrying member of APC, adding that she ceased being a member after Buhari was re-elected in 2019.
She said: “I have learned over the years to stand with the constitution and due process but not on partisanship or sentiments. Since 2019, I have not had anything to do with any political organisation, including Buhari support groups. When APC was doing re-validation of party members, I did not take part in that exercise.
“As I’m sitting down here, I’m not a member of any political party in this country. I’ve no partisanship in my blood. I have seen many petitions against my nomination not only from the PDP but also from some APC members. I’m not partisan. They know. It is about the law. No one has any reason to fear for my nomination as INEC commissioner representing Delta.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m madam due process. That’s why all the attacks. I follow due process; I follow the law.”
However, an affidavit dated 30th June 2021, she swore to at an FCT High Court, attached to one of the petitions against her, contradicted her claims.
She deposed to the affidavit at the court in a case involving her as plaintiff and Emeka Ugwuonye (defendant).
Onochie in her witness statement on oath said: “That I am also engaged in active politics and a member of Neighbourhood Watch and has also contested the local government elections under the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. I am also a member of the All Progressives Congress and a volunteer at the Buhari Support Organisation.”
Onochie told the committee that Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, a serving INEC National Commissioner from Delta State is actually representing Cross River on the board of the electoral body.
Senators Ifeanyi Ubah, Seriake Dickson, Istifanus Gyang, and Ike Ekweremadu, in their separate questions, asked Onochie again to confirm her membership of the APC, but three times, she disavowed the ruling party.
However, a suggestion by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) that Onochie be placed on oath after she denied her APC membership was supported by Senator Lawal Gumau (Bauchi South).
But two PDP senators, Ekweremadu and Dickson, who objected on the ground that doing so will breach Senate rules that do not allow any nominee to be put on oath during screening.
Gaya upheld their objections, saying Onochie would not be placed on oath so as not to run afoul of the Senate rules.
Gaya subsequently adjourned the proceedings and said the report of his panel would be submitted to the Senate next week.
ThisDay
The Lagos State Police Command has restored normalcy in Onosa Community in the Elemoro area of Lagos State, according to a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
The statement, signed by the Lagos Command Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, recalled that “In the early hours of today, August 29, 2025, six officers from Elemoro Division while on routine patrol encountered an irate mob. In the course of ensuring their own safety, the officers used their firearms, resulting in three individuals sustaining injuries. The injured persons were taken to hospital for medical attention.”
The statement further observed that “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, promptly responded to the incident by personally leading a detachment of officers to the scene. The swift intervention led to the removal of all barricades, restoring the free flow of traffic in the affected area. CP Jimoh also moved deep into the community and engaged with youth and community leaders in the neighborhood to de-escalate tensions and foster understanding. He has further extended an invitation to these leaders for continued dialogue to address concerns and prevent future occurrences.
“The officers involved in the shooting have been taken into custody as investigations into the incident commence. The Lagos State Police Command is committed to a thorough and transparent inquiry to establish the facts surrounding the event.
“Normalcy has been restored to the area, and significant police presence remains in place to ensure the sustenance of the restored peace and order. The Command urges residents to remain calm, cooperate with law enforcement, and refrain from actions that could disrupt public safety.”
Hundeyin assured members of the public that further updates will be provided as the investigations progress.
Former Nigerian leaders, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), have expressed deep sorrow over the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday in London.
In separate condolence statements, the elder statesmen paid glowing tributes to the late Nigerian leader, describing him as a patriot who served the country with distinction as a soldier, administrator, and statesman.
Obasanjo, through a statement issued in Abeokuta, Ogun State, noted that Buhari played his role dutifully throughout his life and gave his best to the country.
“It is with a heavy heart that I received this afternoon the passing to glory of a colleague, a comrade, a co-patriot, General Muhammadu Buhari,” Obasanjo said.
“As a soldier, he played his role; as an administrator, he played his role; as a statesman, he played his role.”
He added that Buhari’s death comes at a critical time when Nigeria needed the wisdom and experience of leaders who have previously steered the country through difficult times.
“He will be sorely missed. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” Obasanjo added.
Babangida described Buhari as a brother, course mate, and fellow patriot whose life was defined by discipline, humility, and unwavering loyalty to Nigeria.
In a personal tribute, Babangida recalled their shared history that began in 1962 at the Nigerian Military Training College in Kaduna, noting that Buhari stood out early as a principled and deeply patriotic officer.
“Through the years, we shared trenches and trials, dreams and disappointments, victories and moments of reflection,” IBB said.
“Our bond was forged not only by military training but by a shared commitment to service and love for country.”
He acknowledged that while they may have held differing views at times, Buhari’s sincerity and patriotism were never in doubt.
“His passing today is not just the loss of a former Head of State or two-term civilian President—it is the loss of a symbol. He embodied the transition from the old guard to the new republic,” Babangida stated.
He prayed for Allah’s forgiveness for the late leader and extended condolences to his wife, Aisha Buhari, their children and grandchildren, as well as the entire nation.
“May his legacy endure, and may Allah (SWT) grant him Aljannatul Firdaus,” he concluded.
Veteran journalist and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bashorun Dele Momodu, has reaffirmed his unwavering support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to emerge as the presidential candidate of the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday evening, Momodu emphasised that while he stands with Atiku, he respects the right of other political supporters, including the Obi-dients to back their own candidates, particularly Labour Party’s Peter Obi.
“My best choice is Atiku, and that is what I expect Obi-dients to say, which I expect those who support Amaechi to say — there’s nothing wrong with that,” Momodu stated.
“I have never asked anyone not to support Obi. Obi is my very good friend. If you asked me about one of the people who should lead the coalition, I would say it should be Obi. But as a democrat, I’m appealing to them, hoping they will be able to do it democratically so that they will not say it was forced upon them.”
Momodu’s comments came amid heated debates surrounding who should lead the ADC-backed coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He stressed that all aspirants, including Obi and former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, should face the test of popularity through a democratic process.
