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Nigerians Reject Onochie’s Nomination as INEC Commissioner
Nigerians have rejected the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Muhammadu Buhari asked the senate to confirm Lauretta Onochie, his media aide, Mohammed Sani (Katsina), Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti), and Seidu Ahmed (Jigawa) as commissioners of the electoral commission.
Buhari’s request was contained in a letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday.
The president premised his request on paragraph 14 (1f) of the constitution.
However, Nigerians have rejected the nomination of Onochie on the basis that she is a staunch member of a political party.
Bulama Bukarti said: “Appointing Lauretta Onochie to INEC is a contradiction in terms. How’ll you nominate a staunch member of a political party to a body that is supposed to be independent and will make decisions affecting her party? The Senate should reject her and all others affiliated to a party.”
Aisha Yesufu said: “So Even in the middle of a severe Protest, Buhari still appointed Lauretta Onochie as Inec commissioner? A woman whose utterances are unbecoming of a government aide is warming up to be given new wings to fly wild. Buhari, you should have done better because we have better heads.”
Sodiq Tade said: “Lauretta Onochie is a card-carrying member of APC and yet Buhari appointed him to be the INEC Commissioner. Some things dey somehow maybe nah distraction sha.”
“Lauretta Onochie is too partisan to be seen anywhere near the INEC, she should remain as Buhari’s SA,” a Twitter user wrote:
Kingsley Ubani said: “Nomination of Lauretta Onochie as INEC Commissioner is an assault on the sensibility of Nigerians.”
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
