The Senate has officially endorsed Etekarnba Umoren as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Akwa Ibom State, within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Umoren previously served as the Chief of Staff to Senator Godswill Akpabio during his tenure as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom, his appointment had generated controversy and calls for President Bola Tinubu to rescind it. However, President Tinubu had requested the Senate's confirmation of Umoren and other nominees in a letter read on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Umoren's confirmation was granted along with those of other nominees: Isah Shaka Ehimeakne (Edo), Oluwatoyin Babalola (Ekiti), Abubakar Ahmed Ma’aji (Gombe), Shehu Wahab (Kwara), Aminu Kasimi Idris (Nasarawa), and Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq (Niger). Notably, three nominees from Rivers, Zamfara, and Lagos, namely Anugbum Onuoha, Abubakar Fawa Dambo, and Bunmi Omoseyindemi, were absent during the Senate's confirmation process.
The confirmed RECs will serve a five-year term each and can only be removed by the president with the approval of a two-thirds vote from the National Assembly. Additionally, the Senate approved the appointment of Mr. Shaakaa Chira as the Auditor-General for the Federation
