It was also discovered that the committee members were financially induced by wealthy and influential individuals seeking to control activities at the PENCOM.
The Senate Committee has confirmed the nomination of Ms Aisha Umar as Director-General of National Pension Commission, SaharaReporters gathered.
This is despite the nomination being in clear violation of the National Pension Commission Act and objection from different quarters.
President Muhammadu Buhari had submitted Umar’s name to the Senate for confirmation as PENCOM DG to replace former DG, Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu.
According to Section 20(1) and section 21(1) and (2) of the National Pension Commission Act 2014, states that in the event of a vacancy, the President shall appoint a replacement from the geopolitical zone of the immediate past member that vacated office to complete the remaining tenure.
However, disregarding the guideline of the commission, President Buhari nominated Umar, who is from the Northwestern part of the country to replace Anohu-Amazu, who is from the Southeast.
When submitted, some senators raised objection to the nomination but the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, shrugged-off the objections and directed senators not pleased with the nomination to submit their petitions to the Senate committee.
SaharaReporters has now gathered that the Senate committee has cleared Umar for approval by the Senate.
It was also discovered that the committee members were financially induced by wealthy and influential individuals seeking to control activities at the PENCOM.
Sources, who spoke with SaharaReporters, predicted that the Senate might be having a rowdy session as the Southern caucus is not pleased with the nomination of Umar.
“The Senate is likely to go up in another session whenever the committee charged with screening of the presidential nominee for the position of PENCOM Director-General was earlier today compromised by the nominee and her backers.
“The senators from the South are saying somebody from the North should not have replaced the former DG who is from the South-East,” a source said.
Another senator claimed that members of the Senate committee received $20,000 each to clear Umar for the position of the substantive DG of PENCOM.
“At the committee screening, Aisha Umar got a positive response from the members of the committee without objections by senators raised or considered.
“Members were induced with $20,000 apiece to clear Aisha for the position.
“Aisha is not only the candidate of the executive, as strongly represented by Secretary to Government of Federation, but also that of the Northern clique headed by the Senate President.
“Some of the senators are bracing up for a major showdown with the senate President during the presentation of the committee reports of the screening,” the source privy to the meeting of the Senate committee disclosed to SaharaReporters.
President Buhari had on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, submitted the names of six nominees to the Senate for confirmation as Chairman, Director General and National Executive Commissioners of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
In the letter, Despite Breach Of National Pension Commission Act, Senate Committee Clears Aisha Umar Nomination As Pencom DG, which was read on the floor of the upper chamber by Lawan, the President nominated Oyindasola Oni as Chairman and Aisha Umar as the Director-General.
Others nominated as Executive Commissioners are Hannatu Musa (North-West), Clement Akintola (South-West), Ayim Nyerere (South-East) and Charles Emukowhale (South-South).
Source: Sahara Reporter
