Nigerian Senate on Thursday started the screening of nominees for appointment as National Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The nominees, including Lauretta Onochie, one of the aides of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, appeared in the Senate for the exercise.
Onochie arrived at the Senate wing of the National Assembly accompanied by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Babajide Omoworare.
She was immediately ushered into the office of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabri Gaya.
Onochie, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to President Buhari, has had her nomination generating serious public outcry with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), kicking against her nomination.
PDP said Onochie is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress; and by virtue of her political affiliation with the APC, she is not fit and proper to be appointed as an election officer.
The party argued that Onochie would pollute the atmosphere of neutrality and fair play in the Commission if the Senate goes ahead to approve her nomination.
Other nominees include Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina); Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti); Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa); Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam (North-Central); and Dr. Baba Bila (North East).