The Senate has granted President Bola Tinubu’s plea to terminate the appointments of three Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for Sokoto, Abia, and Adamawa states.
The impacted authorities are Dr. Nura Ali (Sokoto State), Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari (Adamawa State), and Prof. Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu (Abia State).
The decision came after the Senate discussed a motion presented by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele during Wednesday’s plenary session.
President Tinubu, in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requested Senate authority to terminate the appointments of the three suspended RECs under Section 157 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Senator Bamidele, who led the debate, raised several claims against the impacted officials:
“Dr. Nura Ali was charged by security agencies with allegedly compromising the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections through corruption and incompetence.” According to DSS reports, he confessed to getting $150,000 from politicians.
“Former President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari for illegally declaring the Adamawa governorship election results, usurping the role of the Returning Officer.”
“Prof. Ikemefuna Chijioke Uzochukwu was suspended for mishandling election logistics, abandoning the governorship and state assembly elections, and failing to reschedule supplementary elections.”
The Senate cited Section 157 (1) of the Constitution, which states: “A person holding any of the offices to which this section applies may only be removed from that office by the President, acting on an address supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate, for inability to discharge the functions of the office or for misconduct.”
INEC is subject to the laws of this clause, which gives the Senate the ability to ratify the official dismissal of suspended RECs.
When Senate President Godswill Akpabio submitted the proposal to a voice vote, it passed overwhelmingly.
The Senate has now transmitted its resolution to President Tinubu, who will make the final decision on the terminations.
