The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters screened and cleared 16 nominees, together with the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba, for appointment to the governing board of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday.
The committee, chaired by Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo Central), screened the nominees on the National Assembly about 5 months after President Bola Tinubu nominated them.
The committee nominated Salamatu Suleiman as chairperson-designate, whereas Anthony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was nominated to retain his place as govt secretary.
Other nominees are Maupe Ogun-Yusuf of Channels Television; Ayo Adewuyi of the Nigerian Television Authority; Chinonye Obiaku, SAN; Roseline Tasha; Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku; retired Assistant Controller-General of Corrections, Felix Lawrence; Edmund Chinonye; Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo; Adedeji Ogunji; Kingsley Chidozie; Mohammed Adelodu; Francis Meshioye; Patience Patrick; and Hawwa Ibrahim.
The committee will current its report back to the Senate plenary for consideration, after which lawmakers will determine on confirming the nominees.
The screening
During the screening train, lawmakers urged the nominees to show integrity, patriotism, and a robust dedication to the nationwide curiosity as they discharge their tasks.
Peter Jiya (APC, Niger South) confused that nominees ought to place the nation’s pursuits above their private convictions as they put together to imagine tasks in a public establishment.
Mr Jiya expressed confidence that the fee might make significant contributions to human rights safety if its governing board approached its tasks with integrity and a robust sense of public service.
He additionally recommended the nominees’ skilled and private qualities, urging them to stability their particular person beliefs with the institutional obligations of their appointments.
The senator congratulated the nominees on their nominations and expressed optimism that they might contribute positively to the fee’s work.
The committee chair clarified that the NHRC governing board contains 16 members, together with representatives of the Federal Ministries of Justice, Interior and Foreign Affairs.
Mr Adegbonmire defined that the legislation didn’t topic the representatives of the three ministries to particular person screening as a result of it specifies the workplaces or ranks to be represented fairly than the names of explicit nominees.
“The law says there should be 16 members. Three of the members are nominees of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Interior, and Foreign Affairs. But because they are not specific as to persons, we don’t screen them,” he stated.
NGE president speaks
Mr Anaba, additionally the editor of Vanguard Newspapers, stated the nomination gave him a possibility to maintain his dedication to human rights safety, which he described as integral to his journalism profession.
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The NGE president expressed satisfaction with the committee’s determination however cautioned in opposition to treating the screening clearance as last affirmation by the Senate.
“We’ve just been screened. We’ve just been confirmed. So don’t let us jump the gun. That’s number one. I’m happy to be approved at least by this screening committee. So until confirmation,” he stated.
Explaining his background in human rights advocacy, Mr Anaba stated his skilled expertise had persistently introduced him into contact with points regarding the safety of basic rights and freedoms.
“I’ve done this human rights thing all my life. It has gone together with my journalism job. So it’s going to be a continuation of what I’ve been doing,” he stated.
Mr Anaba additionally stated he had been concerned within the NHRC’s actions earlier than his nomination to its governing board.
He expressed optimism that the incoming board’s various skilled experience would enhance the fee’s efficiency and strengthen its contribution to human rights safety in Nigeria.
“I’ve been part of Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission for a while, not at this level. But I can assure you that with the members we have in this council, Nigeria will benefit from a very good National Human Rights Commission,” he stated.
The Senate’s consideration of the committee’s report will decide the subsequent stage of the nominees’ affirmation course of.
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