The screening of former minister of information, Dora Akunyili, by the Senate for a ministerial position in the new cabinet proposed by the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, caused an uproar between senators loyal to her and her non-supporters.

After almost thirty minutes theatrical session, Mrs. Akunyili, unlike other nominees who went through the ministerial nominees screening, had to take three bows: one for the Senate president, the other for the chamber, and the last one for senator Kanti Bello.

In an unusual turn of events, the Senate president, David Mark, could not control the senators for the first time since 2007. He had to stand up to make his presence felt.

"I wouldn't like this to happen again," Mark pronounced, as he stood from his seat to force order back into the Senate chambers on Monday evening.

The senators became unruly after a question by Kanti Bello (PDP Katsina State), awakened the division that once existed between the senators.

Mr. Bello wanted the nominee to explain how her actions during the absence of President Umaru Yar'Adua was nationalistic and not a personal agenda or aggression against the family of the ailing president.

Mrs. Akunyili was outspokenly against the continuous absence of President Yar'Adua without transmission of the executive power to his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan. She was the first minister in that cabinet to write a memo asking her colleagues to make public Mr. Yar'Adua's health status and break the reign of "the cabal" which was responsible for making it a top secret.

"I understand you are a member of the cabal," Mr. Bello said accusingly.

"You were cooking for madam (Turai Yar'Adua, the wife of President Yar'Adua), but later turned against the family. Do you think your action helped to unite or divide this country?" he asked aggressively, pointing fingers angrily at the nominee.

Other senators were offended by his actions and demanded that Mrs. Akunyili should not respond to the question.

"We should please leave our emotions behind and ask the simple questions. There is time for screening of the nominees; this is still question and answer time," the Senate president said, in a bid to calm Mr. Bello's nerves.

At this point, the Senate was already divided along two opposing opinion groups.

The group of senators who were offended by Mr. Bello's show of aggression against Mrs. Akunyili tried to shout him down. Mr. Bello is the Chief Whip of the Senate. He is supposed to enforce tranquility at plenaries on any other day, but he shouted back, trying to finish his question.

The Senate president calmed the senators this time and in concluding his question, Mr. Bello asked if she was not over populating the list of nominees from Anambra State.

Akunyili's Response

While the brouhaha lasted, Mrs. Akunyili watched silently until the Senate president asked her to respond to some of the issues raised.

"I never cooked for madam," she replied Mr. Bello. "I was not in any way part of the cabal. I want to state clearly here that President Yar'Adua is a fine gentleman with a fine spirit but when the system started going wrong, " She could not finish the sentence as Garba Lado (PDP Katsina State) led another group of senators to shout her down, throwing the Senate into a disruptive session.

Mr. Lado had earlier asked Adetokumbo Kayode, the former Justice Minister and a nominee too, to educate him on what ‘doctrine of necessity' is and whether the Senate was right to apply it to empower the acting president.

After several senators ignored bangs of his gravel, the Senate president had to stand up and the chamber suddenly went quiet.

"We are live on a national television. We have a nominee here with us. We must conduct ourselves properly. I wouldn't like this to happen again," he said sternly.

Mrs. Akunyili went ahead to explain how she had organised prayer and fasting for Mr. Yar'Adua when he fell ill initially.

"I have nothing against the president. I am loyal to him and I am loyal to the nation. What I did, "

Again, Mr. Lado shouted her down, saying "No! No!" and she could not finish the statement. The Senate president asked her to leave and the session was adjourned.


Link:

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5547536-146/akunyilis_confirmation_stirs_the_senate_.csp

Lawless lawmakers!

RichyBlacK:

Lawless lawmakers!

now they are useless because they asked aunty dora questions.

~Bluetooth:

now they are useless because they asked aunty dora questions.

What questions? whether she is cooking for Turai? Are those the sought of questions you want your representatives to ask a ministerial nominee?

Dora Akunyili failed as Minister of Information. We all know that on Nairaland and we've kept on chastising her for stealing money on the Sony deal. What did Dora achieve as Minister of Information? Nothing! She cannot even make a speech in decent diplomatic lingo. Of all the Ministers of Information Nigeria has had throughout this democracy, Dora has been the worst. She cannot be compared to Jerry Gana, Chikelu, or Nweke. Why should she be returned to the Cabinet. Under her as Minister, NTA could not even win the bid for transmission of the Junior World Cup.


What has she done to be returned as a Minister?


When the Kanti Bello senator asked her if she had not been cooking for Turai, he didn't mean physically boiling rice or preparing peppersoup. He meant that she'd been Turai's agent.

nex:

When the Kanti Bello senator asked her if she had not been cooking for Turai, he didn't mean physically boiling rice or preparing peppersoup. He meant that she'd been Turai's agent.

Did Kanti Bello tell you this? It is easier to cast aspersion on someone than it is to back up anything.

mikeansy:

What questions? whether she is cooking for Turai? Are those the sought of questions you want your representatives to ask a ministerial nominee?

kanti raised a fundamental question which dwell on loyalty of a servant to a boss.if i may redirect the question to you.are you loyal to your boss presently at your place of work and would you jeopardise any interest pertaining to your boss all because you want people to see you as a saint.

~Bluetooth:

kanti raised a fundamental question which dwell on loyalty of a servant to a boss.if i may redirect the question to you.are you loyal to your boss presently at your place of work and would you jeopardise any interest pertaining to your boss all because you want people to see you as a saint.

And i thought that you were against Aandoakaa for his 'loyalty' to your beloved Yar'adua? I think you shift ground when it is expedient.

~Bluetooth:

kanti raised a fundamental question which dwell on loyalty of a servant to a boss.if i may redirect the question to you.are you loyal to your boss presently at your place of work and would you jeopardise any interest pertaining to your boss all because you want people to see you as a saint.

What you fail to realise is that loyalty to the President of Nigeria is part of a wider loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its constitution.

It is criminal to flout the constitution in the name of loyalty to boss. What Dora did in submitting that memo is not dislyalty to her Boss, its simply a display of her understanding of the limits of her loyalty to her Boss as it relates to the country's constitution.

Since Dora presented that memo, Yar'adua has neither appeared in public nor come back to take back his office. Which seems to suggest Dora was right afterall

So what is at stake here is the criminal exploitation of loyalty which Sen. Kanti Bello seems to be endorsing.

And by the way the inclusion of section 144 in the constitution seems to suggest to me that telling your Boss that he is sick and incapacitated if this is the case is not disloyalty.

Frank-C:

And i thought that you were against Aandoakaa for his 'loyalty' to your beloved Yar'adua? I think you shift ground when it is expedient.

The Yar'adua debacle was too shameful for some to openly endorse

what I have come to realise on nairaland is that not all who claim to dislike the status quo really mean it.

And Senator Bello may wish to also accuse the Nigerian Senate for disloyalty to President Yar'adua by investing GJ with executive powers. I am finding a new meaning for this word loyalty on NL.

~Bluetooth:

kanti raised a fundamental question which dwell on loyalty of a servant to a boss.if i may redirect the question to you.are you loyal to your boss presently at your place of work and would you jeopardise any interest pertaining to your boss all because you want people to see you as a saint.

@Bluetooth

So if u are talking about loyalty, how do you then rate the question mentioned above? You want to call a question of a minister cooking for first lady a fundamental? Haba, we need to be sincere with ourselves. We all know thats an insult. But Anti did well incomposing herself.

mikeansy:

What you fail to realise is that loyalty to the President of Nigeria is part of a wider loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its constitution.

It is criminal to flout the constitution in the name of loyalty to boss. What Dora did in submitting that memo is not dislyalty to her Boss, its simply a display of her understanding of the limits of her loyalty to her Boss as it relates to the country's constitution.

Since Dora presented that memo, Yar'adua has neither appeared in public nor come back to take back his office. Which seems to suggest Dora was right afterall

So what is at stake here is the criminal exploitation of loyalty which Sen. Kanti Bello seems to be endorsing.

And by the way the inclusion of section 144 in the constitution seems to suggest to me that telling your Boss that he is sick and incapacitated if this is the case is not disloyalty.

the president and his cabinet is a clique itself which dora was part of;she was the minister of information.the most honorable thing for her to have done was to resign from a system she felt uncomfortable with but instead,she switched side to jonathan side to suddenly become a good person.let me ask you:
-why didnt dora convince her colleagues to pass a resolution on yaradua.
-if after the new cabinet has been constituted,in your own opinion,DONT YOU THINK DORA WILL BECOME A MEMBER OF JONATHAN KITCHEN CABINET ?
- DO YOU FORSEE JONATHAN GIVING HER EXCEPTIONAL PRIVILEGE ?
Nothing is done in the realm of politics without compensation.dora has sowed a seed in jonathan's domain and i think its time for her to reap what she has sown.dont be surprised if dora becomes the next CABAL

Oh, Kanti or panti Bello you are such an embarrassment to your state. Gees, I heard you aint really brilliant, What I didn't hear was that you are this STUPID. How could u open ur mouth and ask such dumb question,( I wonder why I asked such, when we all know that you are sooooooooooooo DUMB. please forgive my question, its rhetorical).

Oh, Kanti or panti Bello you are such an embarrassment to your state. Gees, I heard you aint really brilliant, What I didn't hear was that you are this STUPID. How could u open ur mouth and ask such dumb question,( I wonder why I asked such, when we all know that you are sooooooooooooo DUMB. please forgive my question, its rhetorical).

You people should stop using this word CABAL anyhow because sometimes I don't know what you guys mean

However every President or Prime Minister around the world has his inner circle. The difference is that other places this inner circle members understand that they are also bound by the law and will not engage in open abuse of office and the law.

What you seem to be suggesting is that it is ok to have an un-existent President running this country by proxy from wherever (God Knows) and its ok for Ministers to turn the other way and condone this because they should consider themselves members of a clique.

Well sorry they are not members of a clique, they are members of a Government of a country of 150 million people. Its unfortunate you don't see things this way but this is just the way it is and the way it should be. Some things are just unacceptable.

Section 144 of the Constitution was not written to fill up space neither where those who wrote the constitution oblivious of the fact that the FEC will be constituted by the sitting President. The writters of our constitution simply hoped that Men will be Men enough to do the right thing when it is necessary but unfortunately our leaders simply chose to bury their heads in the sand.

And you know what? May be Our leaders are not the problem, we are the problem otherwise how will anyone explain a situation where you seem to endorse blind loyalty to one man against the provisions of the constitution?

Dora brought in personal interest into the constitution but people like you see it as standing for the constitution.the same constitution she couldnt convince her colleagues to obey.she presented the memo,fine but who sent her to go on publicity campaign tagging people cabal.the whole yaradua sage degenereated because of her over-stretching of the issue and here you are kissing her a s s.loyalty swapping is no big deal in nigeria and this is purely one of such.

~Bluetooth:

Dora brought in personal interest into the constitution but people like you see it as standing for the constitution.the same constitution she couldnt convince her colleagues to obey.she presented the memo,fine but who sent her to go on publicity campaign tagging people cabal.the whole yaradua sage degenereated because of her over-stretching of the issue and here you are kissing her a s s.loyalty swapping is no big deal in nigeria and this is purely one of such.

You can make of Dora's actions what you like. She has been nominated and cleared as minister. Thats the major story of the day.

mikeansy:

You can make of Dora's actions what you like. She has been nominated and cleared as minister. Thats the major story of the day.

was she nominated or RECYCLED.you are happy now

mikeansy:

You can make of Dora's actions what you like. She has been nominated and [b][b][b][b][b][b][size=8pt][size=8pt]cleared[/size][/size][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b][/b] as minister. Thats the major story of the day.

Has she been cleared/confirmed?

~Bluetooth:

was she nominated or RECYCLED.you are happy now

What exactly is ur point? Is it a crime for someone who had served in one government to be recalled to serve in another one if deemed fit?

The issue of whether prof Dora akunyili is a reliable and loyal servant berates our value in this nation. The unfolding event is making it clearer by the day that we are set on course in a adirection other than towards the light. what Dora Akunyili has done is what must become of every individual in this nation if the nation is to rise. Prof Akunyili's action is that of a patriot that has learnt to "dance to the distance drum" though her steps are not in sync with the music of the moment, we shall soon return sometimes in the distance future to showcase her motive, action and persuasion as a model for justice and equity, truth and faithfulnes and loyalty to the very correct course.
The scenario that is panning out on the floor of our most hallowed senate reminds one of the american case that was celebrated some few years ago. Remember the over 70 years old man who had been scamming people of their money for years under the pretence of investing on their behalf. What the son did by calling the FBI after the father had confessed to him the real secret of his empire with the hope that the son will take over is what m ust be of a nation that will rise above the tide of cabalism, corruption and wickedness in rulership.
Dora Akunyili has taken the first step of dance to a song we will all learn to chorus in few years to come.

@Mikeansy,u've said it all.I just expected this rubbish from these senators,i wonder how "cooking for turai" should come into the question to be asked.It just shows you how sentimental some people can be.Nigeria will never get better when people refuse to say the truth because their people are involved.Kanti was shouting at mummy as if she is his wife that he even slaps,forgeting the fact that he is in public.If i may ask,what qualification does he even have?because he was "fortunate" to have stolen peoples mandate,or better still because he is a one-eyed man in the midst of those blind gworo eaters.Anty dora,we love u.You are our pride.

@Mikeansy,u've said it all.I just expected this rubbish from these senators,i wonder how "cooking for turai" should come into the question to be asked.It just shows you how sentimental some people can be.Nigeria will never get better when people refuse to say the truth because their people are involved.Kanti was shouting at mummy as if she is his wife that he even slaps,forgeting the fact that he is in public.If i may ask,what qualification does he even have?because he was "fortunate" to have stolen peoples mandate,or better still because he is a one-eyed man in the midst of those blind gworo eaters.Anty dora,we love u.You are our pride.

There is no chaff to be seperated out of Dora Akunyili. I'm not saying she is a saint but if we try inculcating her ways and attitude Nigeria would be a better place for us. Despite all the distractions by the few undistinguished senators mostly from Katsina state present at the screening Dora still proved her mettle. This is a woman of great symbolism. If you go and shoot the moon; she remains  a shinning light worthy of note. DORA NKEM AKUNYILI MAY GOD BE YOUR GUIDE, AMEN.

~Bluetooth:


Dora brought in personal interest into the constitution but people like you see it as standing for the constitution.the same constitution she couldnt convince her colleagues to obey.she presented the memo,fine but who sent her to go on publicity campaign tagging people cabal.the whole yaradua sage degenereated because of her over-stretching of the issue and here you are kissing her a s s.loyalty swapping is no big deal in nigeria and this is purely one of such.

I wonder why some people think that it was Dora's duty or it was within her power to convince the other ministers against their corrupt, unpatriotic and fearful wills. She may be corrupt as all others, and may have put personal interest in what she did but since such personal interest matched the law and demand of the people, then such personal interest is right. She did what she could. Try to convince someone against his/her will and see how difficult it is.
And if anyone thinks that Dora deserved those senseless question, he/she should check out the senators that were against her (all Katsina).

Are these senators matured??

Gentle4lyf:

I wonder why some people think that it was Dora's duty or it was within her power to convince the other ministers against their corrupt, unpatriotic and fearful wills. She may be corrupt as all others, and may have put personal interest in what she did but since such personal interest matched the law and demand of the people, then such personal interest is right. She did what she could. Try to convince someone against his/her will and see how difficult it is.
And if anyone thinks that Dora deserved those senseless question, he/she should check out the senators that were against her (all Katsina).

the same why i was asking demanding to know dora intention by going public after tendering the memo before the exco.she went ahead talking like a parrot up and down.i guessed she lacks decorium as an information minister

We have a very long way to go in this country. When will truth ever prevail in this country?

Nigerians prefer people that will be in the cabinet just to eat money. Even if Dora has done bad in the past and she quickly retaced herself, is it not good?. Is it when she will be there just to looth all days that is better.

Even in the Bible and with God, a sinner today can be a saint tomorrow. Even if she has been part of them and later considered that her name and the intergrity of Nigeria has to be proctected and turned around, it is very good and it is for the interest of Nigeria.

Whether anybody likes or or not she has done what she did and many people have congratulated her, because is not easy for somebody to stand firm and criticise the governemnt as she did even when she is part of the government.

If it is easy, how many of them didi it?. They were all fighting for their pocket and running away for their lives. And here is somebody that sacrificed her life to voice out the truth, and some people are saying rubbish. So you people did not know that her life is in danger for stepping on the toes of the black box activities?Nigerians Wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[size=14pt]Kanti Bello must be sponsored by the cabal. He is an insult to the Nigeria Senate. [/size]

What is this ranting about loyalty to yaradua or to jonathan? Yet, some of us are debating that. The loyalty should be toward the constitution and the people of the land. Her action spoke volume. Be loyal to the constitution and whoever obeys it. Didnt her action cause a stir and a form of transformation to the system? Were not the people being played like a fool? She is a bold woman and jonathan would be honored to have her work with him again.

People who work for the good of the land can be allowed to do so again. "Recycling" to me, is when you are useful to yourself but useless to the people of the land