The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of former minister of state for defence, Musliu Obanikoro, and seven others as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The rowdy session also witnessed a walkout by All Progressives Congress (APC) senators who insisted that Obanikoro is not fit to hold public office. Also confirmed were Patricia Akwashiki (Nasarawa); Nicholas Akise Ada (Benue); Augustine Akobundu (Abia) and Fidelis Nwankwo (Ebonyi). Others include Hauwa’u Lawan (Jigawa), Kenneth Kobani (Rivers) and Joel Danlami Ikenya (Taraba).
Recall that the upper chamber had last week screened Akwashiki, Ada, Akobundu and Nwankwo and deferred that of Lawan, Kobani, Ikenya and Obanikoro till this week. At the resumption of screening of the quartet yesterday, APC senators including Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central), Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East), Christopher Omoworare (Osun East), Ali Ndume (Borno South), Olubunmi Adetumbi (Ekiti North) and Ganiyu Solomon (Lagos West) vehemently opposed the nomination of Obanikoro over his alleged involvement in the alleged rigging plot of June 21, 2014 governorship poll in Ekiti State (recorded on tape) and a suit against him over dual citizenship.
Specifically, Omoworare relied on Order 53 Rule 5 of the Senate Rule which states that “Reference shall not be made on any matter on which a judicial decision is pending”. While insisting that the embattled ministerial nominee is not fit to hold public office, the lawmaker argued that whatever decision taken by the red chamber will be prejudicial, adding that two cases are pending in court challenging Obanikoro’s qualification to hold public office. Furthermore, he called the attention of the Senate President that he was dragged as a party to one of the suits.
“During the sixth Senate, two senators opposed the nomination of a minister and as the custom of this Senate, it was rejected. Again during that sixth Senate, two senators from Yobe State opposed the nomination of a minister from their state and based on convention and custom the nomination was rejected. In Taraba State, the three senators opposed the nomination of a minister (in the seventh Senate) we dropped it. Three senators from Lagos have opposed this and we shall abide with our convention. Otherwise, we have made nonsense of that custom”, he said.
