How Tweet, Document Implicated Lauretta Onochie’s Denial In Partisan Politics

A tweet and a document has revealed that Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide on social media, is still a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and equally participating actively in party politics.

Candidreporters.com gathered that Lauretta Onochie, promoted the All Progressives Congress (APC) in August 2020, contrary to a claim she made on Thursday.

On June 24, 2020, Onochie said the APC was growing through a growth process.

“There is DEFINITELY an APC e-NEC meeting TOMORROW. We are going through a growth process. Thank you everyone,” she tweeted.

See full tweet ?

At the time, the party’s national working committee (NWC) led by Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman, was dissolved by the national executive committee (NEC).

The presidential aide posted the tweet a day before the Oshiomhole-led NWC was disbanded.

In other documents from the affidavit she sworn on June 30, 2021, at the FCT High Court, Abuja, candidreporters.com learnt that she clearly indicated that she remains a member of the APC and was an active participant in a United Kingdom election where she also contested. She equally disclosed her membership of President Muhammadu Buhari’s support organization.

Candidreporters.com recalls that Senator Kabir Gaya led Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday screened Onochie in consideration of her appointment as Commissioner of INEC.

The screening, however, turned dramatic as it went stormy, dividing the panel on her membership of the ruling All Progressives (APC), suspecting that she may become partisan in a job she is expected to be independent and neutral.

But the panel raised concerns on the numerous petitions by political parties, Civil Society Organizations and individuals against her, wondering how she would dust herself of being partisan, given also that she is actively involved in partisan politics.

Earlier, she had denied being a member of any political party while responding to Senator Instifanus Gyang’s request for her to speak to the affidavit she personally submitted to the panel while she was preparing to attend the screening.

After her explanation, the Committee became uncomfortable, and when Senator Gyang prodded further, Senator Lawal Gumau who sat next to the Committee Chairman, interjected after he was whispered to by the Chairman.

A sharp disagreement was noticed between PDP Senators and those of the APC.

Senator Seriake Dickson and former governor of Bayelsa State also expressed concern, saying he would have supported the nomination as Onochie comes from Niger Delta, but her membership of the APC was against the position of the constitution, hence a major issue.