Nigeria’s Senate has given President Bola Tinubu the green light to remove the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioners for Abia, Adamawa, and Sokoto states, following a successful motion introduced by Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele on Wednesday.
The three Resident Electoral Commissioners facing dismissal are Ike Uzochukwu (Abia), Hudu Yunusa-Ari (Adamawa), and Nura Ali (Sokoto). These individuals were initially suspended following accusations of serious misconduct, which ultimately prompted President Tinubu’s decision to seek their removal from office.
It is worth recalling that the President had earlier solicited the Senate’s approval for the termination of these officials’ appointments, leading to Wednesday’s motion by Senator Bamidele and the subsequent ratification of the dismissal request.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in moving the motion for the dismissal pointed out that the request was in accordance with the provisions of section 157(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.
As the debate on the motion unfolded, Senator Abba Moro, the Senate Minority Leader, added his voice, stating that the removal of these Resident Commissioners would act as a cautionary tale for public servants.
He said, “This administration has promised Nigerians that it will fight corruption. For this reason, the termination will serve as a deterrent to those in public service.”
Continuing the discussion, Senator Tahir Monguno, the Senate Chief Whip, highlighted that the required two-thirds majority (91 senators) was present in the red chamber on Wednesday, granting the Senate the necessary support to grant President Tinubu’s request for dismissal.
“The philosophical cornerstone of this motion is to reinforce Section 157(1) of the constitution. We have been called upon to discharge our duties to protect the integrity of public offices,” he noted.
