Fred Itua, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate, seeking approval for the confirmation of 26 new executive nominees.
The presidential nominees include 23 federal commissioners for the National Population Commission (NPC), two non-legal practitioners as members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission and one national commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The requests were contained in three separate letters to the Senate.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read the president’s correspondence to the chamber at yesterday’s plenary, on resumption from a two-week Easter break.
The NPC nominees include Nwanne Nwabuisi (Abia State), Clifford Zirra (Adamawa), Chidi Ezeoke (Anambra), Isa Buratai (Borno), Charles Ogwa (Cross River), Richard Odibo (Delta), Okereke Onuabuchi (Ebonyi), Olusegun Aiyejina (Edo), Ejike Ezeh (Enugu), Abubakar Danburam (Gombe), Uba Nnabue (Imo) and Abdulmalik Durunguwa (Kaduna).
Others are Sulaiman Lawal (Kano), Jimoh Isah (Kogi), Sa’adu Alanamu (Kwara), Nasir Kwarra (Nasarawa), Aliyu Datti (Niger), Seyi Olusanya (Ogun), Oladiran Iyantan (Ondo), Mudashiru Hussain (Osun), Cecilia Dapoet (Plateau), Ipalibo Harry (Rivers) and Sale Saany (Taraba).
The president also nominated Festus Okoye as a national commissioner, representing the South East in INEC.
Buhari also sought Senate confirmation for the appointment of Abba Ali (Katsina) and Mohammed Sagir (Niger) as members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
Okoye is counsel to detained Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
Thereafter, Senate suspended plenary, in honour of the chairman of the Committee on Capital Market, Bukar Mustapha, who died last week.