Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Wednesday, reiterated his opposition to the nomination of Aisha Umar as the Director-General of National Pension Commission (PenCom).
Umar, from the northeast, has been serving as DG of the agency in acting capacity.
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President Muhammadu Buhari had submitted Umar’s name and five others for appointment in PenCom to the Senate for confirmation.
They are: Dr. Oyindasola Oluremi Oni (North Central) chairman; Hannatu Musa (North West), Commissioner; Clement Oyedele Akintola (South West) Commissioner; Ayim C. Nyerere (South East), Commissioner and Charles Efe Sylvester Emukowhale (South South) Commissioner.
Abaribe had, on Tuesday, protested against Dahir’s nomination after the Senate President Ahmad Lawan read Buhari’s letter, seeking the Red Chamber’s approval of the nominees.
The Senator, who represents Abia South, noted that the nomination of a candidate from the Northeast to replace the former Director-General of PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu from Southeast was in breach of the Act, establishing the agency.
He said the Act provided that “in the event of a vacancy, the president shall appoint replacement from the geo-political zone of the immediate past member that vacated office to complete the remaining tenure.”
Again at the Senate plenary yesterday, Abaribe restated his rejection of Umar’s nomination.
The Senator said though he still maintained his opposition to the nomination, he supported the motion that the names of all the nominees be referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters.
The committee, which will screen the nominees, is expected to report back to the Senate in two weeks.
