Nigerian Senate Confirms SEC Director and Commissioners, FCC Member . By Mercy Adewunmi

Nigerian Senate Confirms SEC Director and Commissioners, FCC Member

In a decisive move, the Nigerian Senate has confirmed the appointments of John Agama as the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Samiya Usman, Abimbola Ajomale, and Frana Chukuogor as full-time commissioners of SEC. The confirmation of these nominees came after a thorough consideration of the report presented by Senator Osita Izunaso, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, during Thursday’s plenary session.

Senator Izunaso highlighted the qualifications of the nominees, stating that they had successfully passed all relevant security checks and responded effectively to questions during their screening exercise. Consequently, the committee recommended their confirmation to the Senate, which was duly carried out.

“Arising from the screening exercise the committee made the following findings about the nominees
1) That they were eminently qualified for their appointment.
2) That have through all relevant security checks and screening.
3) They successfully and adequately responded to all the questions during the screening exercise.
Consequently, the committee recommends that that the Senate do confirm the following nominees as appointed by Mr President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” -Senator Osita Izunazo, Chairman Senate Committee on Capital Market.

In a related development, the Senate also confirmed Hon. Kayode Oladele as a member of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) following a positive assessment by the Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Onyesoh Allwel, commended the nominee for his intelligent responses and satisfactory answers to all questions posed to him.

On a separate note, the Senate passed the “National Anti-Doping Bill 2024,” aimed at prohibiting Nigerian athletes from using performance-enhancing substances during or after sporting events. The bill received overwhelming support from Senators, with recommendations from committees on sports development, judiciary, human rights, and legal matters adopted during plenary. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin presided over the session and approved the reading of the Bill for the third time following a voice vote.

These confirmations and legislative actions underscore the Senate’s commitment to ensuring competent appointments and promoting ethical practices in sports, marking significant progress in the country’s governance and regulatory frameworks.