The senate has rejected the nomination of Lauretta Onochie, presidential aide, as a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The upper legislative chamber rejected her appointment after Kabiru Gaya, chairman of the INEC committee, presented a report in plenary.

Onochie was nominated for the job by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2020.

Her nomination sparked outrage over concerns that she is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but the presidential aide said she resigned her membership of the ruling party in 2019.

There have been demonstrations against Onochie’s nomination by different civil society organisations.

While presenting the report on Thursday, Gaya said Onochie was disqualified on federal character principles, adding that there is currently a serving commissioner from Delta state, where Onochie hails from.