An engineer and ICT expert, Mr. Aliyu A. Aziz, will today Monday, November 23 mount the saddle as the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). He takes over from Barrister Chris Onyemenam whose tenure ended at the weekend. President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the appointment of Aziz who retired from the Commission last year. He was former Director of IT/ Identity Database at the Commission.

The President was said to have favoured the appointment of someone versed with the workings of the Commission which he considers very critical in his new vision for the nation.

Engr Aziz, who retired in November last year is seen as a natural successor to Onyemenam because he has been with the Commission from its infancy and has a first-hand knowledge of all the highs and lows of the strategic commission.

NIMC insiders said most of the staff of the Commission had been upbeat about his appointment. As at press time, the Presidency was yet to make public his appointment but a Presidential insider said Mr. Aziz’s appointment dates back last week when he was briefed about the task ahead of him.

The National ID project has ran into different storms but the Commission had managed to pull through capturing a little above seven million Nigerians, a number considered low by the out-going Director General.

Poor power supply, poor staff motivation, lack of funds and inadequate equipment of the operations of the Commission were identified as some of the factors that stalled the process.