The drama of almost rejecting the non-ambassadorial nominees which would have taken place ten minutes after the Senator rejected President Buhari’s plan to borrow $ 29.960billion for execution of key infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018, was averted when Senate President in a dramatic manner, overruled his colleagues.
Senate Leader, Ali Ndume during discussions on Executive Communication moved a motion that the Senate should consider President Buhari’s request to confirm the nominees where he said that ” the Senate do consider the request of the President Commander in Chief on the confirmation of the nomination of the following persons for appointment as Non- Career Ambassador Designate.”
Like what happened during the loan request, Saraki put it forward for a voice vote and the Senators thundered ‘nay’. This time, the chambers however became rowdy. and after restoring peace, Saraki then put it up again and his colleagues re-echoed the same ‘nay’.
Saraki who paused for about ten seconds, apparently shocked at what happened, then overruled the Senators, saying that the Ayes have it and approved the consideration of the list of non-career ambassadorial nominees.
Some Senators however immediately protested, just as those who stood up to express their grievances, were ignored by the Senate President referred the list to the Senate Committee on foreign Affairs and moved ahead to accommodate other issues listed in the Order Paper.
It was however gathered that President Buhari’s refusal to address the lopsided appointments in the career ambassadorial list sent to the Senate in July, may have led to the almost rejection of the list by the Senators.
It would be recalled that in July, prior to the annual recess, President Buhari had forwarded names of 47 career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and subsequent confirmation, just as the list was greeted with criticisms from Senators who protested the exclusion of their states from the list.
Though the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs has concluded the screening exercise, the final report has not been laid on the floor for debate.
In the new list, Imo state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have again been omitted.
It would be recalled that President Buhari had penultimate week sent forty- six non career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and subsequent confirmation.
The names read on the floor of Senate plenary by Senate President Bukola Saraki include former Deputy Minority leader of the Senate, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; former Deputy governor of Plateau State, Pauline Tallen; former National Secretary of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Usman Bugaje; former member, House of Representatives, Yussuf Tuggar and former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice George Adesola Oguntade.
Meanwhile, while Lagos had three names, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara, Sokoto, Rivers, Plateau, Katsina and Kano have two names each, with Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Borno, Ekiti, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Osun, Ondo, Niger, Ogun, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Gombe, Oyo, Taraba and Yobe having one name each and the Federal Capital Territory has no nominee.
The full names were Abia, Dr. (Mrs) Uzoma E. Emenike; Adamawa, Dr. Clifford Zirra; Akwa Ibom, Maj. Gen. Godwin G. Umo (Rtd); Anambra Christopher J.N. Okeke; Bauchi, Yusuf Tugar, Bauchi Baba Madugu, Bayelsa Brig Gen. Stanley Diriyai, Benue Dr. Enyantu ifenne, Borno Mohammed Hayatuddeen and Cross River, Dr. Etubom N.E. Asuquo.
Others are Delta, Engr. Francis Efeduma; Ebonyi, Mr. Jonah M. Odo; Edo, Uyagwe Igbe ; Ekiti Ayodele L. Ayodeji; Enugu, Maj. Gen. Chris Eze; Gombe, Alhaji Suleiman Hassan; Jigawa’ Amin Muhammad Dalhatu; Kaduna, Muhammad Yaro, Kaduna Deborah S. Iliya; Kano, Prof. D. Abduikadir, Kano, Alh. Haruna Ungogo; Katsina, Justice lsa Dodo, Katsina, Dr.Usman Bugaje; Kebbi, Professor Tijjani Bande; Kogi, Prof Y. O. Aliu; Kwara Nuruddeen Mohamed, Kwara, Prof. Mohamed G. Yisa; Lagos, Justice George Adesola Oguntade, Lagos, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora,and Lagos Mrs Modupe Irele.Also submitted with states are Nasarawa, Musa Ilu Muhammad; Niger, Mohammad Ibeto; Ogun Mr. Ade Asekun; Ondo Barrister Sola Iji, Osun, Adegboyega A. Ogunwusi; Oyo, Major Gen. Ashimiyu A. Olaniyi (Rtd ); Plateau, PauIine Tallen, Plateau, Dr. Haruna Bawa Abduuahi; Rivers, Orji Ngofa, Rivers, Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor; Sokoto, Jamila Ahmadu-Suka, Sokoto, Hon. Kabiru Umar; Taraba, Alh. Mustapha Jaji; Yobe, Goni Modu Zanna Bura; Zamfara, Alh. Garba Gajam and Zamfara Cpt. Abdul|ahi Uba Garbasi.
0 comments :
Post a Comment