Senate committee clears Eze Anaba, 15 other NHRC board nominees

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA THE Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters has cleared the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, 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 (APC, Ondo Central) screened the nominees as part of the legislative process for reconstituting the commission’s governing board following President Bola Tinubu’s request for Senate confirmation.

The Committee will, thereafter, forward its report to the Senate for consideration at plenary, where the upper chamber will take a final position on the nominations. Speaking with journalists after the screening exercise, Anaba explained that his nomination would provide an opportunity to sustain his longstanding commitment to human rights protection, which he described as an integral part of his journalism career.

The NGE President, who expressed confidence that his diverse professional backgrounds would strengthen the commission’s capacity to promote and protect the rights of Nigerians, however cautioned against making definitive commitments before the completion of the process by the Senate. “We’ve just been screened. We’ve just been confirmed. So don’t let us jump the gun.

That’s number one,” he said. Anaba expressed satisfaction with the committee’s decision, adding that the Senate’s final position would determine the next stage of the process. Explaining his background in human rights advocacy, the Vanguard Editor said his professional experience had consistently brought him into contact with issues relating to the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

“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 also disclosed that he had been associated with the activities of the NHRC before his nomination to its governing board, just as he expressed optimism that the incoming board, with its blend of professional expertise, would improve the commission’s performance and strengthen its contribution to human rights protection in the country.

Earlier in his remarks after the screening, Adegbonmire explained that the screening exercise had been completed and that the committee’s recommendations would be presented to the Senate for consideration. He said the Senate would communicate its decision to the President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation after deliberating on the report.

Adegbonmire clarified that the NHRC’s governing board comprises 16 members, including representatives of the Federal Ministries of Justice, Interior and Foreign Affairs. He explained that the three ministries’ representatives were not subjected to individual screening because the law specifies the offices or ranks to be represented rather than the names of particular nominees.