The Senate has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to remove the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) of Abia, Adamawa, and Sokoto states over alleged misconduct.
The decision was reached on Wednesday following a motion sponsored by Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Majority Leader. The suspended RECs are Ike Uzochukwu (Abia), Hudu Yunusa-Ari (Adamawa), and Nura Ali (Sokoto).
President Tinubu had sought the upper chamber’s approval for their dismissal, citing concerns over their conduct. Bamidele, in presenting the motion, emphasized that the president’s request aligns with the provisions of Section 157(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.
During the debate, Abba Moro, the Minority Leader, argued that the terminations would uphold the fight against corruption and set a precedent for accountability in public service.
“This administration has promised Nigerians that they will fight corruption. For this reason, the termination will serve as a deterrence to those in public service,” Moro said.
Tahir Monguno, the Chief Whip, added that with 91 senators present during the session, the chamber met the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority to approve the motion.
“The philosophical cornerstone of this motion is to reinforce Section 157(1) of the Constitution. We have been called upon to discharge our duties to protect the integrity of public offices,” Monguno said.
The motion received overwhelming support and was adopted through a voice vote led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
