Senate Panel Screens, Clears NGE President, 15 Others for NHRC Board

•Anaba pledges commitment to human rights protection

•As committee forwards report to Senate for consideration

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters has screened and cleared the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba, and 15 other nominees for appointment to the governing board of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The committee, chaired by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, conducted the screening as part of the legislative process for reconstituting the commission’s governing board following President Bola Tinubu’s request for Senate confirmation of the nominees.

Anaba, who is also the Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, said his nomination represented a continuation of his longstanding commitment to human rights advocacy, which he described as an integral part of his journalism career.

Speaking after the screening, he expressed confidence that the nominees, with their diverse professional backgrounds, would contribute to strengthening the commission and advancing human rights protection in Nigeria.

He however cautioned against making premature commitments before the Senate completed the confirmation process.

“We’ve just been screened. We’ve just been confirmed. So don’t let us jump the gun. That’s number one,” Anaba said.

He added: “I’m happy to be approved at least by this screening committee. So, until confirmation.”

Explaining his experience in human rights advocacy, the NGE president said the responsibility had always been closely linked to his work as a journalist.

“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 said.

Anaba disclosed he had been associated with the work of the NHRC before his nomination to the governing board, expressing optimism that the incoming members would help deliver improved results.

“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 said.

He added he would make further commitments after the completion of the confirmation process.

The reconstitution of the board comes amid persistent concerns over human rights protection, accountability and the need to strengthen institutions responsible for safeguarding the rights and freedoms of Nigerians.

The NHRC is statutorily mandated to promote and protect human rights, investigate alleged violations, and encourage compliance with national and international human rights standards.

Addressing the nominees after the exercise, Adegbonmire explained that the committee had completed its assignment and would transmit its recommendations to the Senate for consideration at plenary.

He said the Senate’s decision would subsequently be communicated to the President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“The decision of this committee will be conveyed to the Senate. And the Senate will take a position at plenary,” the chairman said.

He added: “And the Senate’s position will then be conveyed to the President through the Office of the Secretary General.”

Adegbonmire also clarified the composition of the commission’s governing board, explaining that the law provides for 16 members, including representatives of the Federal Ministries of Justice, Interior and Foreign Affairs.

According to him, the three ministry representatives are not individually nominated for Senate screening because the law specifies the offices or ranks they must occupy rather than particular persons.

“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 explained.

He said the committee also screened the commission’s serving Executive Secretary, Anthony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to ensure that the public understood the scope of the exercise.

Adegbonmire congratulated the nominees on their nominations and wished them well as they awaited the Senate’s decision.

During the proceedings senators commended the nominees and stressed the importance of balancing personal convictions with the responsibilities of public office.

For instance, Senator Peter Jiya, who represents Niger South Senatorial District, said the nominees must ensure that the national interest remained paramount in the discharge of their duties.

He expressed confidence that the commission could make meaningful contributions to protecting human rights if its members approached their responsibilities with integrity and a strong sense of public service.

Jiya also commended the nominees’ professional and personal qualities, noting that their transition into a government institution would require them to strike an appropriate balance between individual convictions and institutional responsibilities.

He congratulated the nominees and expressed optimism about their capacity to contribute to the work of the commission.

President Tinubu had in April requested Senate confirmation of nominees to reconstitute the NHRC’s governing board in accordance with Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010.

The provision requires Senate confirmation before the board can formally assume office.

The nominees were drawn from different professional backgrounds, including journalism, law, public administration, academia and the security services.

They include Anaba; 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; Professor Adedeji Ogunji; Kingsley Chidozie; Mohammed Adelodu; Otunba Francis Meshioye; Patience Patrick; and Hawwa Ibrahim.

Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman was nominated as chairperson-designate, while Ojukwu was retained as Executive Secretary.

The completion of the committee’s screening represents a key step towards the reconstitution of the commission’s governing board, although the Senate must still consider the committee’s recommendations at plenary before the confirmation process is concluded.

For Anaba, the prospect of serving on the board offers an opportunity to bring his experience in journalism and human rights advocacy to bear on the commission’s mandate.

His emergence, alongside nominees from other professional backgrounds, is expected to bring a mix of expertise to the institution as it works to strengthen human rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.