Barely 24 hours to the September deadline given by President Muhammadu Buhari to send the names of ministerial nominees to the Senate, the upper chamber is yet to hear from the President.
The President had assured on his two separate visits to the United States of America and Ghana that he would send the ministerial list to the legislative house by September this year.
Section 147 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states that: “Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.”
According to the procedure, the President writes a covering letter to the Senate president and attaches with it the list of the nominees. Upon receipt of the communication, the Senate president reads the letter and the list to the hearing of senators in plenary.
After reading the letter, the Senate arranges a suitable day for screening and confirmation.
In a statement by Senate spokesperson, Dino Melaye, on Monday in Abuja, “the Senate is still expecting a communication from the President in this regard.”
He said: “We are willing and ready to receive all communication from Mr. President and we will act accordingly.”
While dispelling speculations of a likely postponement of the resumption, Melaye affirmed that the upper chamber would resume from its six-week recess on Tuesday, saying the Senate would commence legislative activities and set to welcome communication from President Buhari.
Melaye also stated that there would be no “stormy session” in the Senate on resumption as being peddled by a section of the media since both the leadership of the upper chamber and all senators were at peace with one another and were focussed on working for the betterment of the country at all times.
The lawmaker said: “I want to confirm that the Senate will resume tomorrow (Tuesday) and that we are set to carry out all our legislative responsibilities.
“I also want to use this opportunity to announce the resolve of the Senate, to do only those things that will promote the unity, prosperity and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.”
The Senate spokesperson also stated that the present challenges confronting the parliament would be surmounted.
Ministerial screening, non-implementation of the N556 billion capital expenditure in the N4.493 trillion 2015 budget are expected to top its agenda on resumption.
