Opeyemisamuel06:
PRESS STATEMENT - THE SENATE FAILED NIGERIANS
BY BARR. PELUMI OLAJENGBESI


The Nigerian Senate has just announced the completion of the screening and confirmation of the Ministers Nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari, and Nigerians are made to wonder if the Senate is aware of its onus as an important body vested with constitutional powers to carry out this crucial assignment.
The entire screening process was a demonstration of disloyalty to the Nigerian People, promotion of nepotism in state affairs and a show of party loyalty as against the need to sieve off ministerial nominees who lack the requisite aptitude and are with questionable antecedents. Meanwhile, it is trite that one of the administrative functions of the legislature is to constantly put a check on the activities of the executive in fostering an ideal government devoid of administrative excesses, and it is the intention of the visionaries of the constitution that this process will commence from the appointment of credible ministers.
As provided by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly Section 147(2) of the 1999 Constitution, it is the business of the legislative house to confirm the appointment of Ministerial nominees sent by the President. It is a common knowledge anywhere in the world that, part of the duties of the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, is the screening of ministerial nominees sent by the President to fill spaces in his cabinet.

Unfortunately, the screening exercise was disdainfully reduced to ‘take a bow and go’. Does it not sadden the heart that not less than half of the 43 were generously told to take a bow and go? Meanwhile, the only time the lawmakers deemed it fit to actually screen a nominee, took the posture of a grievance against the nominee or his sponsor while glossing over other key issues. As it is, the direct implication of this malady goes down to the citizenry whose hopes have again been dashed, losing interest in whatever the outcome of the governmental process is. The Senate has therefore failed the Nigerian people in such a very early moment if this administration.

Nigerians were expecting that the Senate would painstakingly carry out this important process by testing the all-round capacity of the nominees to take up the challenge of contributing to the development of the country. It is heartbreaking to see some of the nominees openly begging the Senate to allow them take a bow and go, instead of unveiling their plans when confirmed as ministers.

All of this put together aggravates the fear of the 9th National Assembly becoming a rubber stamp assembly as earlier posited by some thinkers. While it is understandable that there is a rule of the Senate that allows former legislators or members of the Senate to take a bow and go, I hold strongly that such rule mitigates the essence of the Ministerial Screenings.

As far as I am concerned this rule is inconsistent with the provision of the Constitution which provides for a process of Senate "Confirmation".
Flowing from the above, it is my candid recommendation that the Senate set up a parameter or criteria for confirmation and rejection of presidential nominees in the future, so that Nigerians will see transparency and patriotism in its screening of presidential nominees rather than the ‘take a bow’ methodology adopted by the senate. The senate should know that the institution is responsible to Nigerians and be wary of actions that may cost them their legitimacy.

Pelumi Olajengbesi Esq.
Public Interests Lawyer and the Converner, Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates, COPA.
31st July, 2019

Opeyemisamuel06:


The entire screening process was a demonstration of disloyalty to the Nigerian People, promotion of nepotism in state affairs and a show of party loyalty as against the need to sieve off ministerial nominees who lack the requisite aptitude and are with questionable antecedents

Pelumi Olajengbesi Esq.
Public Interests Lawyer and the Converner, Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates, COPA.
31st July, 2019

Useless bow and go senators!!!

They are not even conscious of what the people think

Wait for them!!! They would soon make reference to how a party once did it!

Block heads!!!

Mace0lane:
The funny thing about NL idiots are allowed to have an opinion so there is no need debating this foolishness.

You should be grateful to NL for giving you the space to argue with the intellects!!!

Can you single out a part in the message that's not a fact

No! I think not!!!

wifeesnatcher:
one mumu will stand up Mr chairman this Mr nominee is my childhood friend so therefore he should be asked to take a bow and go

another imbeciles Mr chairman I have known this Mr nominee. he's a very competent engineer and loyal to the president throughout his campaign, we have a long time relationship so I move the motion to allow him take a bow and go. the fat Albert Senate president- is it the interest of the senates that this nominees should take a bow and go? those in favour say hi and those against say nay, the hi's have it


I followed up with this shame of legislative engagement and I asked what's the meaning of screening and confirmation because is far from what those set of incompetent cows who read from paper does in the shameful ministerial screening


imagine the nominees are the one using the Senate to shine sef, if not the nominees will be precise and straight with their introduction and not be telling tales by moonlight during a national interview. even Lai Mohammed was telling us what people called him and the unasked story of his 7yrs grand kid, how does that affect Nigerians and the screening?


I hope other countries don't watched this shameful screening

It's a show of shame!!!
they attended this school, so Nigerians are not expecting much from them