NIGERIAN President, Muhammadu Buhari has violated the establishment Act of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) by nominating a Director-General of the Commission from a different geopolitical zone.
On Wednesday, during the Senate plenary, a letter from the President was read seeking the National Assembly’s approval for the appointment of Aisha Umar as the DG of the Commission.
The President’s letter to the Senate created a raucous situation in the Assembly as some senators kicked against it.
Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Senate Minority Leader, kicked against the president’s nomination arguing that Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, the former Director-General is from the South-East while Aisha Umar who is being nominated for the position is from the North East.
Part five of the Pencom establishment Act confirms the Abaribe’s argument that section 21 (2) of the National Pension Commission Act 2014 was violated by the President in the nomination.
The former Director-General of the commission,
The Act reads that “In the event of a vacancy, the President shall appoint a replacement from the geopolitical zone of the immediate past member that vacated office to complete the remaining tenure.”
According to Abaribe, the succeeding DG of the Commission should come from South-East
“It is against the law setting up the National Pension Commission and the Federal Character Commission,” he noted noted
However, Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President, rejected Abaribe’s Point of Order and observation saying “That is for me to interpret because I interpret the laws here. If there is any petition to that effect it should be sent to the committee.”
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94