The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday approved the appointment of five individuals as Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This decision came after the lawmakers considered a report presented by the Senate committee on INEC during plenary.
The new appointees are Umar Yusuf Garba, Sa’ad Umar Idris, Chukwuemeka Obeziako, Umar Mukhtar, and Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem. Each of them will serve a term of five years.
Their selection followed a detailed review by the committee, which confirmed that the nominees met all necessary conditions as stated in the country’s constitution.
President Bola Tinubu had sent their names to the Senate in a letter dated March 18, 2025.
The communication referred to section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which gives the President the authority to nominate candidates for such positions, subject to Senate confirmation.
In the letter, the President also mentioned that this nomination list replaced an earlier submission sent on March 12.
He said the update was necessary to accommodate the reappointment of a commissioner from Borno State.
