Barely a week ago, Nigerians were up in arms when the president’s media aide, Lauretta Onochie, dared criticise popular entertainer, Ayo Balogun (a.k.a Wizkid) for calling out President Muhammadu Buhari and labelling him an ‘old man’.

Wizkid had critically slammed the president for his silence on the protests against police brutality and several injustices.  Onochie had stood with the president and countered Wizkid for his comment which she regarded as disrespectful to the authority of the president.

Following that episode, in a report shared today, Tuesday 13th October, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the senate to confirm Lauretta Onochie, his media aide, as a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The request was contained in a letter read to the house by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, 13 October 2020.

Lauretta Onochie was also endorsed by the president alongside three others, Mohammed Sani (Katsina), Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti) and Seidu Ahmed (Jigawa) all four as commissioners of the electoral commission.

The update also created another debacle on social media as many Nigerians have stated their objections with the appointment.

Here are a few reactions:

Buhari just nominated Lauretta Onochie for the position of INEC chairman while we are protesting

We won’t be stopping this protest soon as the president is already moving mad #SARAMUSTEND #EndSARS #SARSMUSTENDNOW

— President Christian (@Chrisblin) October 13, 2020

Lauretta Onochie is a member of the APC. So why did Buhari appoint her as the INEC Commissioner for Delta State??? Does Buhari have mental problems????#BuhariHasBeenABadBoy

— NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) October 13, 2020

Same Lauretta Onochie that blocked me the other day because I asked wether I could order local rice @ 9k through her, a card-carrying member of APC is now nominated as INEC Commisioner. Are we not a joke in this country ? pic.twitter.com/8KDb4qHTSL

— #ENDSARS ?Your Destiny Helper®?? (@AyanfeOfGod) October 13, 2020

Lauretta Onochie is an APC card-carrying member. You may as well appoint Lai Mohammed as INEC Chairman so we properly compromise INEC

Conflict of interest should automatically disqualify Lauretta from such posts. But the Buhari Govt is deeply incompetent to do anything right. https://t.co/pc8OmeJaJ4

— Uchenna (@Demoore90210) October 13, 2020

 

Buhari’s appointment has also been met with heavy criticism by many Nigerians and not just because of the social media debacle but because she is a standing member of the All Progressive Congress (APC). 

Call it a reward for loyalty or a reward for service well done, Onochie’s appointment raises suspicious eyebrows. Such shady business in government is even more of a reason for Nigerians to keep on the protesting; seeking a change in many other sectors in the country.