Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki on Wednesday averted what could have been the outright rejection of the nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari who are to be screened by the upper chambre.

Bukola Saraki
Bukola Saraki

The nominees included Mr. Williams Babatunde Fowler, Acting Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Eng. Umaru Garba Dambatta, Vice Chairman of the National Communication Commission (NCC); Ahmed Lawan Kuru, Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) as well as Mr.Kola Ayeye, Eberechukwu Fortunate Uneze and Alh. Aminu Ismail, Executive Directors, AMCON.

The Senate President had read the communication from Buhari on the nominees during plenary on Tuesday and according to the rule of the Senate, he should, during the Wednesday sitting, raise the matter for the chambre to decide what day and how the screening will be conducted.

However, before the commencement of sitting that Wednesday, Saraki did a random sampling of opinion of his colleagues and, sensing that many of them were angry about the breach committed by the nominees who had assumed office and were already acting in their various capacities contrary to the position of the law, the Senate President ensured that the matter was not listed on the Order Paper for the day. He also refused to mention the issue on the floor.

Senator Barnabas Gemade, who did not know the reason Saraki refused to mention the issue, raised a point of order during the plenary sitting under Order 40, Rule 1, which states: “The President of the Senate shall immediately after prayers ….read to the Senate any message addressed to the Senate by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The Senate President had to counter Gemade by citing Order 40, Rule 2 which states: “A message from the President, if presented to the Senate by the Leader of the Senate may be brought up at any time before the commencement or at the close of public business, and shall be considered forthwith or ordered to be considered upon a future day”, The phrase relied on Saraki to save the day is ‘considered upon a future day’.

The belief is that if Saraki had tabled the matter for discussion and put the question to vote on when and how the senators should commence the screening of the presidential nominees, an overwhelming majority might oppose the screening and that summarily interprets to rejection and disqualification of the nominees.

“That was what happened when President Jonathan nominated Mrs. Mfon Akpan from Akwa Ibom, as Chairman of FIRS. Her nomination was summarily rejected during voting on whether to screen her or not. That is why a Director in the service, Mr. Odugbesan, was the one acting in the office until recently . If the Senate President had raised the issue, last Wednesday, the nominees could have been rejected. That is why the Senate President and the Presidency must be in good terms so that they can watch each other’s back”, a senator said yesterday.

The senator added that Saraki also demonstrated good faith in dealing with the Presidency later that Wednesday when he chose to stay in the office till 5.00pm to receive the ministerial list from the Presidency despite the fact that the Senate had concluded sitting around 1pm.

“If he had left the office after waiting for the list till 3.00pm, it means the Presidency would not have met the September deadline it set for the release of the list of ministerial nominees as announced by President Buhari to the nation and the international community. However, Senator Saraki waited until they brought the list and even announced to the nation that he got the list that day. That is to tell you that the National Assembly will always co-operate with the President at all times to ensure that state policies, programmes and appointments get the necessary legislative backing”, he said.

SOURSE: https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20Saraki%20saved%20Fowler,%20other%20nominees%20from%20%20Senate%20hammer&url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/?p=567384

I hope that is corruption

Babatunde Fowler is not going anywhere!! His rejection might only be delayed but will cokme eventually when the senate reconvenes!! We cannot afford to have a Man parading a fake honorary doctorate degree in such a sensitive position.

Saraki you try here oooo

This is the real reason why a case that should have been discovered since 2003 was cunningly discovered and pursued with all vigour in 2015..

When a president who sees the legislative arm of Government as a pain in the ass decides to make them a toothless bulldog, whoelse will he single out but the president and deputy president of the senate.
Saraki's case in Court will ensure his loyalty. While Ekweremadu's fogery bla bla will also ensure he doesnt overstep his bounds...

I hail you baba for turning a democratic Govt into an Autocratic one without even moving a muscle........

Masturbators oya food is ready.
Quote me anywhere!

Na so?

chukwudi44:
Babatunde Fowler is not going anywhere!! His rejection might only be delayed but will cokme eventually when the senate reconvenes!! We cannot afford to have a Man parading a fake honorary doctorate degree in such a sensitive position.

What I don't understand about someone like you is what you gain from deliberately misinforming people

All because your prefferd candidate lost an election, stop being a sour looser no one says. You shouldn't critisce but please do it with some sense,

for the records: did fowler get an honorary phd from the school : yes
Was it his fault that the school had problems years after: NO

Is fowler a competent hand to manage firs! YES

chukwudi44:
Babatunde Fowler is not going anywhere!! His rejection might only be delayed but will cokme eventually when the senate reconvenes!! We cannot afford to have a Man parading a fake honorary doctorate degree in such a sensitive position.

ua free to remove him, d mouth-piece of d senators. Buhahaha upon notin, u still remain a non-entity pertaining to Nigeria's issues. If dey born saraki well., mek dey reject d list. U'll soon see d boss btw him and PMB.

Saraki cannot remove even a single person on that list. All this noise is just to seek favour.

If the speculation on #Thelist appears to be true and the senate president behaves in that manner again then he is a coward.

Saraki is just being too patronizing because he knows he may not last long.

Ass-licking may not save him at the end of the day.

Ebubeslym:
This is the real reason why a case that should have been discovered since 2003 was cunningly discovered and pursued with all vigour in 2015..

When a president who sees the legislative arm of Government as a pain in the ass decides to make them a toothless bulldog, whoelse will he single out but the president and deputy president of the senate.
Saraki's case in Court will ensure his loyalty. While Ekweremadu's fogery bla bla will also ensure he doesnt overstep his bounds...

I hail you baba for turning a democratic Govt into an Autocratic one without even moving a muscle........

Masturbators oya food is ready.
Quote me anywhere!

What 2003 case are you talking about? from 2003-2011, Saraki had immunity from prosecution. From 2011-2015, he was a senator in the 7th Senate without immunity but the PDP government did not deem it necessary to investigate and prosecute him because he was one of them for a long spell. A new sheriff is now in town and it's no longer business as usual.
it is worthy to note that it is operationally impossible for the CCB to verify and investigate all asset declaration by public officers both elected, appointed and career public servants. The bigger the office held. the brighter the spotlight shines on you.
I am not in support of the trial stopping the senate from performing their constitutionally allowed oversight functions. He should perform his duty as a senator to the fullest as the law permits him. I am also not in support of him cladding his trial in the toga of witch-hunting. The law gives the tribunal the powers to verify, investigate, and prosecute and try public officers who are suspected of making false assets declaration. The law also permits Saraki to defend himself and exercise his full rights, and I think that is what he should do without any noise making.

egift:
Saraki cannot remove even a single person on that list. All this noise is just to seek favour.

sure he can't. There's a provision of the constitution that says "if the list remain with the Senate for 21 days without their approval and screening, those on the list automatically become ministers in the eye of the law".


I don't know why octogenarian chukwudi sees his god, saraki as being too powerful and can remove any name from the list.

BALLOSKI:
sure he can't. There's a provision of the constitution that says "if the list remain with the Senate for 21 days without their approval and screening, those on the list automatically become ministers in the eye of the law".


I don't know why octogenarian chukwudi sees his god, saraki as being too powerful and can remove any name from the list.

The Senate President is "powerful" as long as National Assembly politics is concern. He has a lot of influence when it comes to the final decision of the Senate, therefore he can use his influence as the Senate President to disqualify any nominee seeking Senate approval. Do not undermine the Man with the GAVEL.
#THEPOWEROFGAVEL