The former Chief of Staff to the Senate President during his time as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Etekarnba Umoren, on Wednesday, confirmed as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom State by the Nigerian Senate.
Umoren, a strong ally of the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was also a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom, wheres his appointment had generated controversies, with Nigerians asking President Bola Tinubu to revoke it.
But the president had, in a letter read on Tuesday, asked the Senate to confirm Umoren and eight other nominees.
However, the Nigerian on Wednesday, confirmed Umoren alongside Isah Shaka Ehimeakne (Edo), Oluwatoyin Babalola (Ekiti), Abubakar Ahmed Ma’aji (Gombe), Shehu Wahab (Kwara), Aminu Kasimi Idris (Nasarawa), and Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq (Niger).
The remaining three nominees Rivers, Zamfara and Lagos, Anugbum Onuoha, Abubakar Fawa Dambo and Bunmi Omoseyindemi were absent.
The nominees were confirmed after they were screened on the floor of the Senate Wednesday.
Tinubu said, in the letter, said his request for Senate confirmation of the nominees was in compliance with the constitutional provisions.
It also approved the nomination of seven persons for appointment as Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).
The Senate also confirmed the appointment of Mr Shaakaa Chira as the Auditor-General for the Federation.
