Chukwu David 
…As Zamfara nominee was changed without reason
The Senate, on Thursday, confirmed the appointment of the three remaining Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) nominees, who were absent at the screening on Wednesday.
This was as the nominee from Zamfara, who was initially forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, Mr Abibakar Fawa Dambo, was dropped without any reason or announcement to that effect by the Senate leadership.
Dambo was listed on the Senate’s Order Paper of Wednesday, as the Resident Electoral Commissioner nominee from Zamfara State, but was not confirmed because he was not present at the time of the screening.
However, when the Senate resumed plenary on Thursday, the person who was called for Zamfara State by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, was Isma’ila Kaura Moyi.
Meanwhile, Akpabio did not give reasons for the sudden change of candidate from Zamfara, and neither did any Senator ask questions or request the reason for the sudden change.
Therefore, the confirmed electoral Commissioners are Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos), Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers) and Isma’ila Kaura Moyi (Zamfara).
The President of the Senate had announced the confirmation of the three presidential nominees after they were cleared through a voice vote at the plenary.
The Electoral Commissioners were screened at the Senate Committee of the Whole before their confirmation was announced.
The Electoral Commissioners will be deployed to a state other than where they came from to supervise the conduct of the election. They will serve for a term of five years each.
In his speech during the screening, Omoseyindemi promhe will introduce innovation and strategic planning in the electoral process.
“I observed that people have high apathy for elections. I will collaborate with the INEC Chairman to embark on massive election education.
“Before we can have an election, people must participate. I have conducted two elections that the opposition won and they were given their certificates,” he stated.
Mr Omoseyindemi also introduced himself as a traditional medical practitioner, a development that provoked some sort of rowdy session, as some Senators started shouting “Babalawo.”
The Electoral Commissioner also told the lawmakers that he studied traditional medicine at the University of Ibadan.
Furthermore, Omoseyindemi also stated that he attended the College of Nursing, University of Lagos.
The Electoral Commissioner also said that he established a medical facility in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.
He explained that he belonged to different medical associations including World Health Organization Traditional Medicine.
While speaking, Mr Moyi, the Electoral Commissioner nominee from Zamfara, told the Senators that he obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.
Mr Moyi noted that he served as Chairman of a Local Government in Zamfara in 2011 before he was appointed as Special Adviser to former Governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari.
He also said that he served as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Zamfara.
Mr Onuoha, the nominee from Rivers State, said that he is an associate professor of law, noting that he obtained his Bachelor’s, Master and PhD from Rivers State University.
