The last of the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi’s saga has not been seen as the senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have resort to a new plot to hamper the confirmation of the former governor as minister.
The All Progressives congress (APC) are fuming over fresh plot by their counterparts to stop the senate from approving and confirming the embattled governor.
Amaechi along others were screened on Thursday and the PDP senators intentionally refused to ask questions, which almost led to many Nigerians believing that they gave up on frustrating the process.
While being screened by the senate, Amaechi only answer questions from the APC senators. Meanwhile the minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio explained why his party senators were not ready ask any questions.
He said, “we have just received Senator Samuel Anyawu’s report on the petition on corruption against Amaechi.” an utterance that sparked a war of words between Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume and Akpabio.
It was gathered that PDP refused to ask questions after perusing the report submitted by the Chairman of the panel.
According to the report recommendation, Amaechi is advised to go clear his name from allegation of fraud and corruption since the case is in the court.
It was also gathered that Amaechi’s was one of the discussion held at a close door meeting before the screening began. The opposition senators have lashed at the senate President for screening Amaechi by putting the committee report and recommendation aside.
According to The Nation report that quoted a reliable source in the Senate said: “It was the consensus that Amaechi should be advised to go and clear himself of allegations of fraud, according to the recommendation of the Ethics Committee.”
He added: “We believe that Amaechi should not have been screened in the first place.
“That he was screened does not give us a good image especially in the light of the fight against corruption.
“What impression have they created by screening him? What image have they given to the Senate? Are they saying that the petition has no merit?
“These are some of the issues.”
he South-South senator said that they met after plenary on Thursday to decide “our next line when the actual confirmation comes up next week.”
Their decision is to oppose Amaechi’s confirmation next week.
He noted that “Amaechi has only been screed in fragrant abuse of our rules but he has not been confirmed.
“We will still raise our voice to oppose his confirmation because his screening did not follow due process. The screening cannot past due diligence test.”
He said that “even if the Senate President does not mention the report whenever Amaechi’s confirmation comes up, we are going to raise the issue of the report and the consideration of the report because we have the right to be heard.”
But a senator on the platform of the APC dimissed the move by the PDPs to frustrate the confirmation of Amaechi.
The northern lawmaker insisted that when they get to the bridge, they will cross it.
“We are not new to all these schemings and attempts to force back the hand of the clock.
“Do the PDP senators you are talking about have the number to block the confirmation of any nominee? Even if we go for division of the house, do they have the number to stop the confirmation of any nominee not just Amaechi?
“Politics remains a game of number and as at today, the APC has the ace in the Senate. Nobody can take that away from us. PDP senators or the party itself cannot stop the confirmation of any nominee because they remain the opposition in the chamber.”
He noted that the Senate could not have stopped the screening of Amaechi based on “mere allegation.”
Ministerial screening: PDP moves to frustrate Amaechi"s confirmation thickens
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