Nigeria’s Senate on Wednesday confirmed Senator Mohammed Musiliu Obanikoro from Lagos State, Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya from Taraba State, Hauwa’u Lawan from Jigawa State and Kenneth Kobani from Rivers State as ministers.
Leading the debate Deputy Majority Leader Senator Abdul Ningi in a motion asked the Senate to dissolve into a committee of whole to resume the screening of President Goodluck Jonathan nominee for the position ministers.
But Senator Abubakar Saraki through an order asked the Senate to suspend the screening because the Senate President promised that the matter would be discussed first at a closed session. The Senate President rule him out saying that closed session is a privilege normally given by the Senate President.
In another order Senator Gbenga Ashafa informed the Senate that there is case in court based on newspaper reports but the Senate President also ruled him out that he has not been served with the court order.
Again Senator Babatunde Omorale in another order raised the court case regarding the matter but Mark ruled out of order on the same grounds that no court order has been served on him. He added that most of the issues raised by the Senator are not relevant to the matter. “I am always available I have not been served with any court order. Court order cannot be served on me on the pages of newspaper” Mark said.
Based on this, the Minority Leader Senator George Akume seconded the motion by the Majority Leader for the Senate to resolve into a committee of whole to continue the screening.
The nominee from Jigawa State Hauwa’u Lawan was the first to appear before the Senate. All Senators in their contribution commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his love for the youth by nominating her for the position of a minister. They also commended the Jigawa State governor for her nomination and she was then asked to take her bow and go. The nominee from Rivers was also asked to take a bow and go.
In the case Senator Ikenya, the Senate President reminded the Senate of their tradition of not asking former Senators any question. “We know the tradition of the Senate, but I will allow Senators to ask questions if any” Mark said.
The Senators agree that the tradition of the Senate must stand and Senator Ikenya was asked to take a bow and go.
But it was not that easy for Senator Mohammed Musiliu Obanikoro from Lagos as the three Senators demanded that his screening be deferred until his role in the purported rigging of election is investigated. Senator Solomon Ganiyu through an order informed the Senate of the position of the Lagos Senator as demanded by their constituents.
The Senate President explained that the Senate is caught between two traditions. “We are caught in two traditions, the tradition of allowing a former Senator to take a bow and go and the tradition of three Senators from a state demanding the Senate to defer the screening. The only way out is to put the situation into voting” Mark said.
When the Senate President put the matter into voting majority of the Senators voted for the tradition of not asking former Senators any question and Senator Mohammed Musiliu Obanikoro was asked to take a bow and go.
The Senate thereafter confirmed the nominees as ministers. Senate President on behalf of the Senate congratulated them and urged them to recognize that they are not ministers of their states but that of Nigeria. He specially congratulated the former Senators and asked them to be good ambassadors of the Senate.
