The Presidency was responsible for the non-issuance of
appointment letter the only female Resident Electoral
Commissioner-designate, Dr Asma’u Sani Maikudi, about three weeks
after her clearance by the Senate, Daily Trust not
TheNigerialawyer findings have shown.
Dr Maikudi hails from President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state of
Katsina, and was nominated by the president in March, alongside 26
others to fill the quota of 27 states.
The nominees subsequently passed all stages for the appointment
that included clearance by the Department of secret Service (DSS),
the Code of Conduct Bureau and, thereafter, confirmed by the Senate
on July 20.
The Senate had divided the nominees into two batches and
confirmed the first 15 on June 1.
On July 20, eight of the remaining 12 nominees, including Dr
Maikudi, were confirmed, while four others were deferred.
Daily Trust gathered that while the remaining nominees were
given appointment letters by the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (OSGF), that of the lady was
withheld.
A top government official told Daily Trust last night that the
office of the SGF has nothing to do with the issue, explaining that
it was the responsibility of the Presidency to forward names of
cleared nominees for appointments.
The source said the appointment letters of the remaining
REC-designates were given to them because their names were
forwarded to the OSGF by the Presidency.
It’s clear that some forces inside the Presidency are having a
second thought over the appointment of the lady, the top bureaucrat
said.
The Presidency refused to comment on the story when contacted
last night. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on
National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said he
could not comment on it because he did not know about it.
The presidential aide told our correspondent on phone last night
that he would find out. “I am not in a position to comment on it
because I do not know. But I am going to make findings,” he
said.
In his response, the Director of Press in the OSGF, Mr Bolaji
Adebiyi, said that he was yet to be briefed on the issue and that
those announced were the ones that were directed to be announced
after their appointments.
Lawyers differ
Lawyers however expressed divergent views over the non-issuance
of appointment letter to Dr Maikudi.
Former president of the International Federation of Women
Lawyers (FIDA), Hauwa Shekarau, said the development goes to show
the nature of politics and the role of some cabal who decide who
gets what in the country.
She therefore advised Dr Maikudi to play her card well,
considering that she may not have a legal leeway since there is no
documentary proof of her appointment or refusal.
Esther Uzoma of the Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI) said it
was an infringement on her right to be denied a letter of
appointment when she has not been “encumbered by any criminal
investigation” through the various screenings.
Uzoma advised her to file for an order of mandamus to compel the
public officer, who is authorized to issue her with an appointment
letter, to do so.
However, Tawo Eja Tawo (SAN), while reacting to Maikudi’s case,
said she has no actionable claim since she has not been sworn into
office by the president, who has the powers to appoint subject to
the confirmation of the National Assembly.
“Until she has taken her oath of office, her tenure could not
have commenced. So, she cannot challenge the action,” he said.
In the same vein, Abeny Mohammed (SAN) said despite scaling the
DSS, CCB and the Senate hurdles, Maikudi cannot claim to have been
appointed as she is still on “preliminary stage until she gets a
letter of appointment or takes oath of office.”
Civil societies react
The Director of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
Idayat Hassan said non-issuance of appointment letter to Dr Maikudi
was unfortunate.
“This is a disservice to the honour of Nigerian women that a
single woman among the nominees would be treated like this. How
many women are in the cabinet as ministers and other appointees?”
she said.
The president of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS),
Chief Gloria Laraba Shoda, said the situation was saddening and
unacceptable, adding that the council was already taking steps to
see that no injustice is carried out against any woman.
“In this dispensation when the council is fighting for more
slots to be allocated to women, some persons are frustrating the
goodwill of President Buhari’s government which aims to empower
women,” she said.
Dr David Okoror, director of the International Institute for
Security and Governance Studies, said the development was rather
unfortunate especially in this time and age.
He condemned the failure to issue a letter of appointment to Dr
Maikudi.
He called on all women groups to raise their voice and condemn
any action by groups or governments that choose to prevent women
from contributing their quota to national development.
“In the case of Dr Asma’u Sani Maikudi, I think women groups and
societies should arise and see that she is given her rightful
position, because once this is allowed other women will fall prey
to this injustice,” he said.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) said
issue is not good for the nation’s governance processes and that
these kinds of issues were responsible for the ongoing
misunderstanding between one arm of government and another.
The Executive Director of CISLAC Auwal Musa Rafsanjani told
Daily Trust last night that it would amount to impunity to refuse
her (Dr Maikudi) letter of appointment after the Senate had cleared
her with no objection from the Presidency who nominated her in the
first instance.
“However, I want to believe that it is an oversight and it
should urgently be addressed to avoid creating bad impression. It
is one government and its arms should be working together to ensure
good governance and smooth processes in government, otherwise if it
is deliberate it would be seen as an act of impunity,” he said.
The Presidency was responsible for the non-issuance of
appointment letter the only female Resident Electoral
Commissioner-designate, Dr Asma’u Sani Maikudi, about three weeks
after her clearance by the Senate, Daily Trust not
TheNigerialawyer findings have shown.
Dr Maikudi hails from President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state of
Katsina, and was nominated by the president in March, alongside 26
others to fill the quota of 27 states.
The nominees subsequently passed all stages for the appointment
that included clearance by the Department of secret Service (DSS),
the Code of Conduct Bureau and, thereafter, confirmed by the Senate
on July 20.
The Senate had divided the nominees into two batches and
confirmed the first 15 on June 1.
On July 20, eight of the remaining 12 nominees, including Dr
Maikudi, were confirmed, while four others were deferred.
Daily Trust gathered that while the remaining nominees were
given appointment letters by the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (OSGF), that of the lady was
withheld.
A top government official told Daily Trust last night that the
office of the SGF has nothing to do with the issue, explaining that
it was the responsibility of the Presidency to forward names of
cleared nominees for appointments.
The source said the appointment letters of the remaining
REC-designates were given to them because their names were
forwarded to the OSGF by the Presidency.
It’s clear that some forces inside the Presidency are having a
second thought over the appointment of the lady, the top bureaucrat
said.
The Presidency refused to comment on the story when contacted
last night. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on
National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said he
could not comment on it because he did not know about it.
The presidential aide told our correspondent on phone last night
that he would find out. “I am not in a position to comment on it
because I do not know. But I am going to make findings,” he
said.
In his response, the Director of Press in the OSGF, Mr Bolaji
Adebiyi, said that he was yet to be briefed on the issue and that
those announced were the ones that were directed to be announced
after their appointments.
Lawyers differ
Lawyers however expressed divergent views over the non-issuance
of appointment letter to Dr Maikudi.
Former president of the International Federation of Women
Lawyers (FIDA), Hauwa Shekarau, said the development goes to show
the nature of politics and the role of some cabal who decide who
gets what in the country.
She therefore advised Dr Maikudi to play her card well,
considering that she may not have a legal leeway since there is no
documentary proof of her appointment or refusal.
Esther Uzoma of the Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI) said it
was an infringement on her right to be denied a letter of
appointment when she has not been “encumbered by any criminal
investigation” through the various screenings.
Uzoma advised her to file for an order of mandamus to compel the
public officer, who is authorized to issue her with an appointment
letter, to do so.
However, Tawo Eja Tawo (SAN), while reacting to Maikudi’s case,
said she has no actionable claim since she has not been sworn into
office by the president, who has the powers to appoint subject to
the confirmation of the National Assembly.
“Until she has taken her oath of office, her tenure could not
have commenced. So, she cannot challenge the action,” he said.
In the same vein, Abeny Mohammed (SAN) said despite scaling the
DSS, CCB and the Senate hurdles, Maikudi cannot claim to have been
appointed as she is still on “preliminary stage until she gets a
letter of appointment or takes oath of office.”
Civil societies react
The Director of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
Idayat Hassan said non-issuance of appointment letter to Dr Maikudi
was unfortunate.
“This is a disservice to the honour of Nigerian women that a
single woman among the nominees would be treated like this. How
many women are in the cabinet as ministers and other appointees?”
she said.
The president of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS),
Chief Gloria Laraba Shoda, said the situation was saddening and
unacceptable, adding that the council was already taking steps to
see that no injustice is carried out against any woman.
“In this dispensation when the council is fighting for more
slots to be allocated to women, some persons are frustrating the
goodwill of President Buhari’s government which aims to empower
women,” she said.
Dr David Okoror, director of the International Institute for
Security and Governance Studies, said the development was rather
unfortunate especially in this time and age.
He condemned the failure to issue a letter of appointment to Dr
Maikudi.
He called on all women groups to raise their voice and condemn
any action by groups or governments that choose to prevent women
from contributing their quota to national development.
“In the case of Dr Asma’u Sani Maikudi, I think women groups and
societies should arise and see that she is given her rightful
position, because once this is allowed other women will fall prey
to this injustice,” he said.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) said
issue is not good for the nation’s governance processes and that
these kinds of issues were responsible for the ongoing
misunderstanding between one arm of government and another.
The Executive Director of CISLAC Auwal Musa Rafsanjani told
Daily Trust last night that it would amount to impunity to refuse
her (Dr Maikudi) letter of appointment after the Senate had cleared
her with no objection from the Presidency who nominated her in the
first instance.
“However, I want to believe that it is an oversight and it
should urgently be addressed to avoid creating bad impression. It
is one government and its arms should be working together to ensure
good governance and smooth processes in government, otherwise if it
is deliberate it would be seen as an act of impunity,” he said.
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/presidency-blocks-appointment-of-female-inec-commissioner/