THE 12 ministerial nominees sent to the Senate two weeks ago by President Goodluck Jonathan are almost certain of meeting a hostile Senate during the screening process, as indications from the chamber has confirmed a strong gang-up among senators.
The nominees were Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos); Aminu Wali and Mrs Jemila Salik (Kano); Mrs Laurentia Laraba Mallam (Kaduna); Mrs Eyakenyi Akon (Akwa Ibom); Honourable Mohammed Wakil (Borno); Abdul Jelili Oyewale Adesiyan (Osun); and Tamuno Danagogo (Rivers).
Others were General Aliyu Gusau, retd (Zamfara); ex-governor of Adamawa State, Mr Boni Haruna; Dr Khaliru Alhassan (Sokoto) and Asabe Asmau Ahmed (Niger).
Sources in the Senate confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that the lawmakers were insisting on the resuscitation of the convention, which mandated a nominee to secure the backing of, at least, two senators from his/her state before he or she could be confirmed.
It was confirmed that senators from Niger, Osun, Lagos, Rivers and Adamawa had indicated their disapproval of the nominees from their states, while insisting that their colleagues from other states also stood by the convention, which had seen the Senate reject presidential nominees in the past.
It was gathered that three senators from Osun had rejected the nominee from the state, while two from Niger had already rejected the nomination of the candidate from the state.
Two senators from Rivers had also indicated their rejection of the nominee from the state, while two senators from Adamawa had indicated their rejection of the nominee.
Three senators from Lagos were also said to have opposed the nomination of Senator Obanikoro from the state.
It was, however, gathered that Obanikoro would benefit from another Senate convention, which indicated that any former senator was allowed to “bow and go” during screenings.
It was confirmed that senators were really planning ambush for the nominees, including a strategy not to answer too much questions from their targets.
Source: Tribune
