The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of five Resident Electoral Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission, following their nominations by President Bola Tinubu in March.
The confirmation followed the presentation and consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters during plenary.
Presenting the report, Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) urged the chamber to approve the nominations, noting that all five candidates had successfully undergone the required screening process.
The confirmed RECs are Umar Garba for Kano State, Sa’ad Idris for Bauchi State, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako for Anambra State, Umar Mukhtar for Borno State, and Johnson Sinikiem for Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu also transmittd a proposed N1.78tn statutory appropriation bill for the Federal Capital Territory to the Senate for consideration and approval for the 2025 fiscal year.
In his letter to the Senate on Wednesday, the President urged lawmakers to give the bill accelerated consideration, emphasising that its timely passage would enable the execution of critical infrastructure projects in the nation’s capital.
In response, the Senate invoked Order 78 to allow the bill to pass second reading on the same day it was introduced.