After two previous rejection, the Senate has confirmed Ahmed Bello Mahmud as Resident Electoral Commissioner representing Zamfara state at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Also confirmed as Resident Electoral Commissioners are Monday Udo Tom representing Akwa Ibom State and
Attahiru Garba Madami representing Niger state while Festus Okoye was confirmed as National Commissioner representing the Southeast geopolitical zone.
The Senate Committee on INEC had earlier recommended for the third time that the Zamfara state nominee be rejected for the position again but Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa rose to condemn the recommendation.
Senator Marafa accused his colleague and Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Suleiman Nazif of compromising his position noting that he had evidence to prove that there were underhand deals that led to the recommendation for rejection of Mahmud again. He was supported by Delta South Senator, James Manager.
But after intervention by the Senate President, Senator Marafa was quick to withdraw the statement but refused to apologize about his facts that some underhand deals happened.
After putting the question twice during the committee of the whole by the Senate President, senators jettisoned the recommendation of the INEC committee and confirmed Mahmud among others as Resident Electoral Commissioners at INEC.
The nominee had previously been rejected twice by the Senate following petitions that he was not an indigene of Zamfara state but Senator Marafa insisted during the third Senate consideration that many of the top officials such as Chief of Staff working with Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari who is opposing the appointment are not full indigene of the state.
After the confirmation, Senator Marafa later apologized to Senator Nazif amidst laughter by his colleagues.
