…Confirms 15 Recs, puts 12 on hold

The senate and the the executive may be heading on a collission course following the refusal of the upper legislative chamber to confirm 12 names sent to it as Residents Electoral Commissioners (RECs) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Senate, at its, yesterday, plenary, however confirmed 15, out of the 27 nominees.
The 15 RECs nominees confirmed are Prof. Godswill Obioma (Abia), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Adamawa), Alhaji Ahmad Makama (Bauchi), James Apam (Benue), Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji (Ebonyi), Dr. Illoh Joseph Chuks (Enugu), Hussaini Halilu Pai (FCT), Sadiq Abubakar Musa (Kaduna).
Others are Agboke Mutiu Olaleke (Ogun), Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda (Plateau), Umar Ibrahim (Taraba), Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Ezeonu (Anambra), Mr. Emeka Ononamadu Joseph (Imo), Obo. O. Effanga (Cross River) and Dr. Briyai O. Frankland (Baylesa).
The names were referred to the committee on May 2.
Chairman of the Senate committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Suleiman Nazif, while submitting the report, said the 12 nominees appeared before the committee for the screening.
He also revealed that the nominees passed the security screening, conducted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
He did not also reveal when the 12 nominees which include Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa (Kano), Asmau Sani Maikudi (Katsina), Dr. Mahmuda Isah (Kebbi), Prof. Samuel Egwu (Kogi), Amb. Rufus Akeju (Lagos), Prof. Mustapha Zubairu (Niger), Sam Olugbadebo Olumekun (Ondo), AbdulGaniyu Olayinka Taju (Oyo), Prof. Riskuwa Shehu (Sokoto), Kasim Gana Geidam (Yobe), Ahmad Bello Mahmud (Zamfara) and Mike Igini (Delta), would be cleared for confirmation.
On March 28, when the letter from the President was first read, the consideration of the nominees was deferred, following a point of order raised by Peter Nwaoboshi.
The Senate, while adopting the position canvassed by Nwaoboshi, urged President Buhari to respect the outcome of its decision on the rejection of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu.
Failure to take heed, the Senate had vowed that it would not consider or confirm the 27 REC nominees.
The Senate had subsequently directed its President, Bukola Saraki, to within two weeks, convey its position about the non-replacement of Magu to Buhari and report back to allow it take further legislative actions on the matter.