The Senate on Tuesday, confirmed the appointment of Aisha Dahir-Umar, as the substantive Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) Board amidst protests from some senators.
Another nominee who was also confirmed by the Senate was Dr Oyindasola Oluremi Oni, from North Central as Chairman.
Also confirmed were Clement Akintola (South-West); Ayim Nyerere (South-East) and Charles Emukowhale (South-South), as commissioners of the PenCom board.
The Senate, however, rejected the confirmation of Hannatu Musa (North-West) because she was unable to present her discharge certificate from the National Youths Service Corps.
Members of the Minority Caucus in the Senate last week sent a petition to the Committee on Establishment and Public Service, seeking the disqualification of Dahir-Umar as the substantive DG of PenCom.
Until her confirmation on Tuesday, Dahir-Umar, from the North-East geopolitical zone, held the position in acting capacity.
The Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who argued against Dahir-Umar confirmation, insisted that since her predecessor did not complete her tenure, the position should be occupied by somebody from the South-East, where Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, whose five-year tenure was truncated, hailed from.
Ruling on Abaribe’s argument, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said the constitutional provisions relied upon by those who are kicking against the DG’s appointment was not valid because the tenure of Anohu-Amazu’s board had expired before the appointment of Dahir-Umar
President Muhammadu Buhari had, penultimate week, sent the name of Dahir-Umar to the Senate, seeking the lawmakers’ confirmation for her to be the substantive DG and others, to the board of the agency.
