Senate confirms 2 more RECs, rejects Zamfara nominee

…*Zamfara Senator, Marafa Kicks

The Senate has rejected the nomination of Ahmed Bello Mahmud as a Resident Electoral Commissioner representing Zamfara State, just as it‎ confirmed the nomination of Rufus Akeju and Mahmud Isah representing Lagos and Kebbi states, respectively.

The decision of the upper legislative chamber was sequel to a report by the Senate committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headed by Senator Suleiman Nafiz.

Senator Nafiz told the Senate there was a letter from Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State against the nominee.

A federal lawmaker from Zamfara State Senator Tijjani Kaura who supported the rejection of Ahmad Bello Mahmud based on the recommendation by the Senate Committee on INEC, alleged that Mahmud is not an indigene of Zamfara State but Sokoto State.

He also noted that the nominee did not gain the support of stakeholders in the state on the matter.

But another Senator also from Zamfara State, Kabir Marafa, faulted the committee and insisted that the rejection of the nominee on the mare fact that he is not an indegene of the state holds no water.

But the lawmakers adopted the committee report and rejected Mahmud’s nomination and confirmed other two nominees.

The Daily Times recalls that in a letter dated Monday, February 27, 2017, then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, had asked the Senate to consider the nomination of 27 RECs for new appointments and re-appointments.

But Senator Marafa in a seperate interview with our correspondent, said that what happened at floor of the Senate was just hypocrysy, adding that the Senator Kaura was marely dancing to the tunes of the state governor.

“We all as public officials vested with one responsibility or the other to carry out are subjected by two judgement, one from the people and one from God,” he advised.

He explained further that the nominee was not only born in Zamfara state, educated in the state but also served in various capacities in the State government including as a Attorney General and commisioner for justice, as well as Chairman Zamfara State Anti corruption Commission.

He said, “The basis of his disqualification therefore is not justifiable, because we have many Kebbi indigenes holding key positions in Zamfara State. Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto were formerly one state and until today still see themselves as brothers and sisters,” he noted.

Also insisting that he was not consulted before the committee concluded its report on Mahmud, Senator Marafa however said he would not be cowed into shying away from.speaking the truth as he has a duty to God to always stand by the truth.

He posited that “the President has constitutional right to appoint whosoever he wishes, and not according to the request of any state governor.”

Marafa while also acknowledging that although the senate is vested with the responsibility to clear nominees, he advised that it has to be done with all sense of responsibilities.

Olufemi Samuel, Abuja