In what is increasingly becoming indecipherable, leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in both the executive and legislature, appear bent on dragging the nation through another season of crisis with the confrontation over confirmation processes. This report will show why both arms of government need to calm down and resolve their differences in the interest of the Nigerian masses. Particularly, the legislature, which suffers public opprobrium, needs to reassess the basis of its engagement with both the executive and the public, if only to disembark from its perceived posturing of serial antagonism.

Similarly, the executive would do well to shoot down the antics of meddlesome interlopers in its midst. The Senate resumed on Tuesday, July 4, 2017, from its two-week break, and immediately went into a standoff with the presidency, resolved to defend what it described as its integrity and vowed to stand down all requests for confirmation into executive positions in the federal government. The Senate’s position was upon overflow of outrage at the challenge from Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to the Senate’s capacity to confirm certain nominees of the executive into federal bodies. Senators across partisan lines were particularly miffed by the continued stay in office of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, despite his rejection by the Senate on two occasions. Therefore, in their resolution that day, the Senate asked the Acting President to apologise for his challenge to the Senate’s power to confirm persons into certain executive bodies. Curiously, Osinbajo had made his statement on confirmation and Section 171 way back in April, 2017, even when President Muhammadu Buhari was sitting-in. The question is, why hold that against Osinbajo now that he is now that he is Acting President.

Saraki, Magu and Osinbajo In the Senate’s renewed face-off with the executive, it vowed that it will not take it likely if the Acting President fails to implement the resolutions of the Red Chamber, just as it resolved to suspend, forthwith, confirmation of all requests of nominees forwarded to it by the Presidency until such matters of confirmation as contained in the constitution were strictly adhered to. The lawmakers then reiterated their earlier position and, thereafter, reinforced it that all nominees rejected by the Senate should be relieved of their duties, with particular reference to the acting chairman of the EFCC. The Senate had at the resumption of plenary, entered into a closed session which lasted for almost an hour. A source at the meeting said senators were not happy over what they termed, “flagrant refusal by the executive to implement resolutions passed by the Senate.” This is a usual refrain from senators whenever they choose to bay for blood. Osinbajo, had, last April, in an interview, said: “It is up to the Senate to make their judgment, and it is up to us to say what we want to do. If our candidate is rejected, we can re-present him. No law says we can’t re-present him. And again, there is the other argument, whether or not we need to present him for confirmation and that’s a compelling argument from Femi Falana”.

The latest resolution of the Senate came immediately after the reading of a letter from Osinbajo requesting it to confirm Lanre Gbajabiamila as the substantive Director-General of the National Lottery Commission (NLC). Osinbajo’s letter, which was dated June 12, 2017, was titled, “Request for confirmation of the appointment of Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila as Director- General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission.” The letter read: “In compliance with the provisions of section 8 (1A) of the National Lottery Act 2005, I write to forward the name of Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila as the nominee for the position of Director General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission for the consideration and appointment of the Senate. Soon after the letter was read, Senator Ahmed Sani, APC, Zamfara West, raised a point of Order 14 of the Senate Standing Rules, just as he argued that since the Acting President had already concluded that the Senate lacked the powers to confirm nominees, there was no need to acknowledge any letter from the executive on issues that concern confirmation. Supporting Senator Sani, Senator George Thomson Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East, who took a swipe at the executive arm over its continued refusal to comply with the resolutions of the Senate, stressed that the development was a clear attempt by the Presidency to usurp the powers and roles of the apex legislative body. Senator Sekibo, who quoted relevant sections of the constitution to buttress his argument said: “What is happening shows to Nigerians that they (executive) are either trying to quiet(sic) the National Assembly or trying to take our responsibilities.

From the constitution, it is very clear that one of the functions of the senate is confirmation of appointments by the President. The Constitution did not give room for acting appointment after a nominee has been rejected by the Senate. If the Acting President says we do not have the power to confirm and then turns around to send us a nomination, which one do we now take? I think Senate should put a suspension on this nomination until this issue is resolved.” In his remarks, Senate President Bukola Saraki who presided over plenary warned that the Senate must show serious action on the matter for once and for all and put it behind it, adding,”it is very clear these resolutions as passed must be acted upon by the Acting President, and ensure that we continue to respect our democracy, our laws and constitution. It is not for us to choose which laws we obey and which laws we don’t obey. That is not the way any civilised, modern society works. And we hope that the Acting President will take appropriate action in line with these resolutions.” President Muhammadu Buhari had forwarded Magu’s name to the Senate in June, 2016 for confirmation. He was appointed in acting capacity by President Buhari on November 9, 2015, following the sack of his predecessor, Ibrahim Lamorde.

The Senate had, in March this year, for the second time, rejected the nomination of Magu as the substantive chairman of the anti-graft agency. The refusal by the Senate to confirm Magu came three months after the Senators had rejected him because of a security report by the Department of State Services, DSS, which was again a replay of some months ago. The Senate, through Saraki, forwarded the communication of its resolution at plenary to the presidency. Prior to Tuesday’s confrontation, the Senate had drawn the battle line with the Presidency as it suspended for two weeks, the screening of 27 persons President Buhari nominated for the office of Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs.


Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/senate-session-drama-confirmation-saga-final-showdown/

This country and all its drama. So much politicking, less action being taken.

Guys, I'm conducting a survey to get feedback on how the Nigerian Senate has performed over the past two years.

This is the link: https://believeinnigeria.typeform.com/to/nAsBI8

The survey shouldn't take more than a minute to complete. Thank you very much

power dramer acting all go end in nest few month or year craz people them make bleed In hunger them go all suffer am to

let me finish my garri with groundnuts