Some nominees selected by President Muhammadu Buhari to head federal government agencies have incurred the wrath of the Senate for assuming office without going through the statutory Senate screening and confirmation.


The senators, THISDAY gathered, are quite angry with the situation largely considered a deliberate attempt to disrespect constituted legislative authority and have promised to make their feelings known to the nominees once they appear before them for clearance.


Some of the senators, it was further learnt, already believe that such persons have automatically disqualified themselves for acting unconstitutionally and illegally in capacities clearly defined by law.


Those who have been nominated by Buhari but are yet to be confirmed by the Senate, which has been on recess, are Mr. Babatunde Fowler, who was appointed the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Mr. Ahmed Kuru, who was named the new Managing Director/CEO of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON); Mr. Kola Ayeye, Ms. Eberechukwu Uneze and Mr. Aminu Ismail, who were named executive directors of AMCON; and Professor Umaru Danbatta, who was nominated as the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).


The laws setting up the institutions provide that their appointment by the president must be confirmed by the Senate before they can assume office.


In situating the weight of such violation of the law, Senate sources hinted yesterday that some of the appointees in this category would be asked to explain on what legal premise they had been acting or why they suddenly required Senate clearance since they had already assumed office.


The senators are said to be concerned by the violation of the laws setting up the respective agencies of the government and the constitution by Buhari’s appointees.


Particularly disturbing, according to one senator from the South-west zone who spoke on the issue, is the fact that some of the nominees have already begun to sign off on the disbursement of funds from the parastatals they are supposed to head and initiate policies, knowing full well that their actions are illegal and unconstitutional without Senate clearance.


“This is an offence and a gross breach of the constitution. Some of us are peeved by this conduct of the nominees and we may simply disqualify those acting in this manner. We consider it an abuse of the respect we have for President Buhari.


“They also know that any action taken against the respective Acts that is undermining the Senate may and will be misinterpreted to mean moving against Buhari.


“This sort of thing cannot happen in America or any other civilised democracy. President Buhari should avoid unconstitutional acts by his nominees.


“We have confirmed several nominees of past presidents who had to wait for weeks and sometimes months before they could assume office.


“Take the case of Ms. Arunma Oteh, who waited for three months, because when she was named by late President Yar’Adua to head the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) we were on recess and by the time we got back, she had an accident that necessitated the postponement of her screening and confirmation for several weeks.


“Yet she never took over office at SEC until she was duly confirmed by the Senate. The same was applicable to others who previously headed these same parastatals for which Buhari has announced new nominees,” said the senator who pleaded anonymity.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/senate-miffed-with-buharis-nominees-for-assuming-office-without-confirmation/219735/

Good! Nobody is above the law..

Abeggi....

The law only states that they will not be seen as substantive until confirmation from the senate.

They however immediately got into "acting capacity" by the nomination of MR PRESIDENT.

The period between President's announcement and Senate's confirmation is the probation period where-in, the contract of appointment has not been signed.

Such is the kind of distraction you get when the senate comprises some renowned drug-lords, bank robbers and over-spent public servants...besides, do they think that the economy will wait for them while they proceed on 3 months vacation like school kids at the expense of Tax-Payer's sweat? Nonsense!!!

All plenty talks and not a single quote from the constitution that suggests it was being violated. Isn't this ego tripping

The usual "bow and go" confirmation?

The Nigeria recess senate spewing trash as usual instead of acting. Nothing fruitful will come out of the threat

The Presidency is undermining Saraki that's all. And the constitutional lawyers and news editors are silent as usual. Failed invention of Lugard.

IPOB Youth

Story story! They nominees would soon appear before the 'sinators', take their bow and zoom off to their respective posts.

Threat dead on arrival!!

“This sort of thing cannot happen in America or any other civilised democracy...

Maybe the Senators if it also happens in America that Senators spend 80 days out 100 on "recess", especially at the beginning of a new government.