Senate Clears Electoral Officer ‘Smuggled’ Through Backdoor

Indications emerged yesterday that a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who was not nominated by President Bola Tinubu, was screened and confirmed by the Senate.

The Senate, yesterday, confirmed Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq as electoral commissioner for Niger State as against Professor Mohammed Yelwa, whose name was submitted to the upper chamber by President Tinubu last week.

A top villa source said last night that the commissioner confirmed by the Senate was not the nominee of the president, noting that Yelwa’s name was not changed at any time.

The source hinted that the confirmed electoral official was smuggled into the list and screened.

Noting that the villa didn’t approve the name change, the source said, “We believe the change was done from outside the villa. Ask them at the Senate.”

The Senate yesterday screened and confirmed seven out of the 10 electoral officers, including Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq.

On October 25, a statement by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, disclosing the names of 10 electoral commissioners, listed Mohammed Yelwa as representing Niger State.

However, a letter by President Tinubu to the Senate for confirmation of electoral officers as   read by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio at plenary on Tuesday, listed Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq as representing Niger State.

There was no explanation for the change.

The phone line of the Senate spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, was not accessible as of the time of filing this report. Text messages sent to his line were also not replied to.

When asked the spokesman to the Senate President, Hon Eseme Eyibo, said the Senate spokesman should attend to the issue.

However, LEADERSHIP learnt that Mohammed Yelwa, a professor of Economics in University of Abuja, was nominated to fill the vacant electoral seat in Niger State.

His name had been submitted to the Senate.

The Villa source said, “It was surprising that on getting to the Senate, they found out that another person was screened and cleared for the position to represent Niger.”