MONROVIA, Montserrado – President George Weah has withdrawn two nominations to senior government posts, including that of Ndubusi Nwabudike for chair of the National Elections Commission.

The president also withdrew the nomination of Edwin K. Martin as chair of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission.

Although the president did not explain why he was withdrawing the two nominees in his two-paragraph letter to the Senate, it is believed that the widespread public criticisms the two nominees received from senators may have been responsible.

Nwabudike failed to convince senators that he met the legal eligibility criteria and senators uncovered inconsistencies with how the Nigerian-born nominee obtained his Liberian citizenship. As a result, only four of the six persons nominated to head the National Elections Commission were confirmed by the Senate, with Nwabudike excluded.

With regards to Pres. Weah’s nomination of Martin to head the LACC, Sen. Darius Dillon of Montserrado has said the nominee is not qualified to hold the position based on the act that established the anti-graft agency.

“The membership of the commission shall also be drawn to reflect the broad spectrum of society; provided further that no two commissioners shall have the same county of origin and all five (5) shall not be of the same gender,” the law reads.

Dillon noted that there was already a commissioner from the same county as Martin.

The Montserrado senator also said Martin also failed to declare his assets up to the time he appeared before the Senate for his confirmation hearing.

Dillon said because approving Martin would violate the law and Martin himself had not begun respecting anti-corruption laws in place, the senator could not vote to confirm the lawyer for the position.

Nwabudike was heading the LACC prior to his nomination by Pres. Weah. It is not clear whether he will return to his previous post, especially in the midst of concerns over his credentials.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah