Ministerial Nomination Impasse: My story, by Amaechi

All eyes were on the Senate as the upper chambre screened 37 ministerial nominees sent to it for confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari over the last two weeks. But none of the nominees proved as controversial as Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, whose screening had to be deferred at least once owing to the deluge of petitions against his nomination, and for which he had to face the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee.

Rotimi Amaechi

Finally, Amaechi was screened in plenary by the Senate on Thursday. The former governor tells his story in the course of the exercise. Excerpts:

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

WHO IS CHIBUIKE ROTIMI AMAECHI? 

I happen to be one of the best Nigerians to have served as Speaker for eight years.   In the period   I served, Speakers were impeached almost on regular basis. I have also served as a governor   of Rivers State under the PDP, but during my second term, I was  governor   of Rivers State under APC. Distinguished senators, it is a rare privilege  to stand here today to address  you.  I believe that this   is my first time of  addressing the Senate and I thank you. I thank   the President for this privilege. Whether I become   a minister or I not, this will go in the history book of mine that I once addressed   the Senate   of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but   truly   at the mercy of the Senate.

And as you know, this is a hallowed  chamber, so I am deeply humbled and honoured that I have been   nominated   by the President and to have been give the chance to address you on what I thought    would   be the little   contributions    I have made to the development of Nigeria. I told you earlier that my name is Chibuike Amaechi, I am truly a Nigerian.

As I said to you earlier, I am the immediate past governor of Rivers State and   I was the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly   for eight year years, just like I was governor for eight years. I was Chairman of Conference of Speakers   for two tenures and I had also the privilege of serving as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum for two tenures too. Take it together, whether as governor or as Speaker, these two cases  can tell the story of public service.

TENURE AS SPEAKER

During my tenure as Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, we   achieved a lot. Some key bills like the Anti Kidnapping Law and the Rivers State School Rights were passed. I drafted these bills myself. I was just pained that there were some of our children who couldn’t   go to school and I had to ensure that the bills became laws so that our children, parents   and   teachers will have their rights and privileges   and that government has the obligation to fulfill them.

However, my most fulfilling moment as Speaker was the passing of the Rivers State School Rights Bill. This   bill clearly   defines the responsibility of parents, teachers and parents to guarantee our children’s  access to qualitative education. Education should not  only qualitative, it must also   be accessible.

WHAT I DID AS GOVERNOR

As governor, we inherited a state that was comatose and with the problem of insecurity. Our immediate task was, therefore, to restore security and improve the social and economic well-being of our people. These were the two pronged approach: physical   and fiscal security.

By fiscal, I mean putting money in the hands of Rivers people. While we confronted criminality with  aggressive enforcement measures, we embarked   on what we called massive social   and infrastructural development. They are there for record purposes; we declared emergency   in education and guaranteed   free and compulsory education   up to secondary   school level.

During my tenure as governor, we awarded contracts for  the construction of over 500 primary schools and  completed and furnished 3014 of these to 100 percent   completion, while others were virtually completed by the time we left office in May 2015. We undertook the training   and re-certification of teachers already on the payroll   of the state and employed over 13,200 teachers.

Our efforts and investment in the education sector did not go unnoticed, as Port Harcourt won the UNESCO world competition in 2014. We competed against cities like Moscow   and Oxford. In the area   of healthcare, it is on record that our government built  140 health centres  and we employed a total of 400 medical doctors. When we came in,  there were only 200 doctors   in the employ of the government and we employed a total of 400 medical   doctors. Anybody who visited Rivers State when we served would testify that we worked   to bring   back the old glory of Port Harcourt as the Garden City and as a third leg in the economic   tripod of Nigeria.

 AS CHAIRMAN, NIGERIA GOVERNORS’ FORUM

I don’t know what I would say because whatever I  I  say may annoy my political brothers   from  the PDP.  This  morning, I woke up on the bad side of the bed  and, as a Christian, I prayed and I opted to wear the dress  I have never worn before;  so I wore this, believing that in the spirit of peace, I would be asked questions that would be very peaceful.

The Governors Forum started as a check to executive recklessness. The Senate President( Saraki ) was the Chairman and headed   it with other governors   who are here today as senators, including Senator Goje. To make me the Chairman of the forum for the first time, it happened in Kwara    State   and we   checked the excesses, including the expenditure of the oil subsidy. There is a case in court up till now stopping the Federal Government from drawing money from the account to fund oil subsidy because we believe that if we stop the Federal Government from drawing state   and local governments money, the Federal Government will not be able to bear the cost and will,  therefore, remove   oil subsidy   which would reduce the level of corruption. Unfortunately, the case is yet   to be heard.

On the resource control question, I think   the radical posture   of the Governors Forum   led to the former President asking me that I   had turned the body into a union, so it’s   no longer   a Governors ‘ Forum, it was now a trade union and what we all were doing was to defend the lives of Nigeria and ensured that the money accruable to the country was judiciously utilized.

I think the former president didn’t like   it and, when my tenure expired as Chairman, I was requested not to run for  second term and I thought   that, as   a   Nigerian, I had the responsibility   to exercise   my   right   as a governor. So, I put forward for the election and, if you saw   the forces against me, you would think   that I would lose. Let me quote   my brother and friend, Senator Jang, who was the opposition candidate. He said, ‘But North East zone supported me, North West zone supported me, North Central zone supported me and South South   supported me, how did you win? You did not win, you did not win’. And I said  I won, I had 19 votes and the rest are there   for history to judge.

MY POSITION ON CORRUPTION AND PANEL OF INQUIRY THAT ALLEGEDLY INDICTED HIM

Corruption is very difficult to define. If you are a public officer and you don’t take bribe, I’ve never taken bribe in my life,   but if they send a girl to you and you sleep with the girl and do her favour, you are corrupt. Corruption is a very wide concept. If people are contesting for a position and you offer your son, brother or sister an opportunity to hold that position, probably the person is not qualified, you are corrupt. So, it is difficult for me to define corruption.

The reason it was difficult in my political carreer is that I was trying to test my right and fight for my right. I was once a students union leader and, believe me, if there is one man who doesn’t like corruption, I don’t like corruption.

I have come here with a copy of the so-called panel report and there is no where  the panel indicted me. I am here to tender the report before the Senate; no where, I repeat, there is nowhere  the report indicted me.

However, because there are challenges, people in Nigerian politics believe that there is the need for a compromise. I would do that, but where it clashes with my principle, I find it a bit difficult to do what people may want me to do. If you ask me to advise politicians, I find it very difficult because most politicians will want to survive and so, because I don’t do that, I face challenges.

In October 25, the Supreme Court declared me as governor; don’t forget that I was facing similar challenge I am facing now. I was chased out of the country to Ghana; my family was chased out of the country, we were living in one room with my children just because I stood for my right, but God and the Supreme Court found me worthy and  declared me as governor of Rivers State.

 HOW WE SOLD THE BUHARI BRAND

We sold to the public the fact that there was massive corruption in the system. And there was the need to fight that corruption. And the only way to fight that corruption was to put a new government in place. And we had to get a signpost candidate. The signpost candidate is a man who the Nigerian public has seen as an incorruptible President. And that was why the party had to put President Buhari forward. And we thought that there was a need to do things differently. I thought that as good as the former President may have been, I don’t think he was suitable enough for the growth and development of Nigeria. So, we needed to offer opportunity to somebody we believed was better than the former President.

 BLUEPRINT FOR NIGERIA

When you deal with the issue of massive unemployment, you deal with the change in the economic mantra. The mono-economic situation that we have cannot survive. Nigeria cannot continue to be what we are if we continue to rely on oil.  I agree with the President that there is the need to invest in agriculture.

When we went to Germany, there were no natural resources that we met. If we invest in agriculture and technology, you will hire as many workers as possible. In the course of the campaign, in Borno, we saw water melon that grew naturally. If you plant just 100,000 hectares of water melon in Borno, you can be sure to engage more than 30,000 workers. You can do a similar thing around Kano and other parts of Nigeria. Look at what crops can be instituted in which area and you encourage the farmers with funding because the problem is fund from the banks and the interest rate. So, government must invest in that regard.

We must diversify the economy. Mining is another area that God has blessed us with. And we also need to invest in education because some of our people are unemployable. We need to invest hugely in education. We did that in Rivers State. For four, five, six years, our budget was highest in education in Rivers State. So, if this happens, we will employ quite a number of workers.

Secondly, we must improve on the social rights of the people. If you improve on the social rights of the people, there will be peace. If you have peace, there will be investors. You must have power. If you don’t have power, there will be no industrialisation.  We don’t need rocket science in solving power supply. We should just look at what the problems are, remove corruption and invest in power. The reason  most people don’t invest in Nigeria is that the cost of production by far outweighs the benefits you will make from your business.

So, I usually say that a Nigerian is a government of his own. He hires his own security, digs his own borehole, hires his own generator, so what is government providing?

 ON ATTACHING PORTFOLIOS TO NOMINEES

Portfolio issue is a constitutional matter. Mr President has the power to do whatever he wants to do. The Attorney General in my predecessor’s government, Dr Peter Odili said that one may be a man, but if they say you are a woman, then you are a woman.

If the legislature wants ministers to be appointed with portfolios, then they must make that amendment in the Constitution. If it is not there in the Constitution, then the President can only apply his powers as allowed by the Constitution.

I will be glad if I see a list with portfolios; that way, everybody knows where he is going, but now you don’t know where you are going and you don’t know if to ask me about my expertise in education or health or Niger Delta.

I remember when my friend and former colleague, Danjuma Goje asked me if I had been a senator or a minister before; now I want to be a minister; after that, I will be a senator.

 ON NIGER DELTA RESOURCES

In my former view, I believe that the resources are in the Niger Delta and their fair share is necessary; that is why there was militancy. I believe that if you don’t address social justice, the country will not be the same. When we went to Germany and we saw how they raised their fund, I felt therefore that our dependence on this natural resource is unnecessary.I believe that we should draw a poverty line that no state should collect anything less than five billion naira from the national revenue. If any state goes below five billion, then all of us should contribute to ensure that the state gets up to five billion. That is my real position on that.

On the East-West Road, it is not just for the Niger Delta; it is an economic rule that will lead to economic prosperity for Nigeria. If I become the minister of Niger Delta, that will be first road that I will address.

Ministerial Nomination Impasse: My story, by Amaechi

‘How cabals within the Presidency hijacked Buhari’s ministerial nominees’

President Muhammadu Buhari has been asked to urgently save his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), from sliding into crisis by reversing some of the nomination for ministerial positions he made.

Ministerial list

A statement yesterday, by a group, Save Democracy Contingent (SDC), alleged that some of the nominees were not members of the APC but got their appointments because they have relationships with a “cabal” within the Presidency and therefore do not merit their appointments.

The group in the statement jointly signed by its President, Ade Ibitutu, and other officials, namely Ahmed Jibrin, Okon Eta and Chijioke Nkwocha, alleged that Zainab Ahmed, the nominee from Kaduna, was nominated because she is a cousin to the state governor, Nasir El- Rufai, adding that Aisha Abubakar was allegedly nominated for being the daughter of Abubakar Alhaji and niece of Mamman Daura.

Recall that President Buhari has so far forwarded names of 37 Nigerians in two batches to the Senate for confirmation as ministers.

However, the president, last week, withdrew nomination of a former deputy governor of Niger State, Ahmed Ibeto.

The upper house has already confirmed 18 of the nominees, with the remaining 18 to be screened tomorrow (Tuesday), for subsequent confirmation.

The SDC also claimed that Suleiman Adamu was nominated merely for being Mr. Buhari’s nephew while Khadija Abba Bukar Ibrahim was picked because she was the wife of Abba Bukar Ibrahim, three time governor of Yobe State.

In the South, the group alleged that a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Isaac Adewole, was nominated “merely to make sure that the imprimatur of the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is absent, despite the gentleman agreement reached with the governor of Osun State before Colonel Olagunsoye Oyilola (rtd) decamped to APC.”

It also alleged that Claudius Daramola was chosen to diminish the hold of a former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu, in the South West.

The SDC further claimed that Anthony Anwuka, a professor, was nominated because he is an in-law to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, “in spite of the fact that he was indicted by a White Paper of Visitation Panel led by S.A. Nsofor, JCA, which investigated the affairs of Imo State University and against the declaration of Justice Ngozi Opara of Imo State High Court on 29th of January, 2013.”

It said the appointment of persons indicted into position of authority is illegal, unconstitutional, immoral, null and void is binding.

It also faulted the appointment of Geoffrey Onyeama, an indigene of Enugu State, who it said was nominated because he was a class mate and friend of Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the President

It further claimed that Okechukwu Enelama was nominated merely for being the Deputy Pastor to the Vice President.

The group said, “Unfolding events have shown that our great Party the APC is dangerously sliding into crisis of unimaginable dimension. Our genuine fear is that if APC implodes or runs into the palpable crisis being brewed wittingly or unwittingly by a cabal around Mr President, it will definitely impact negatively in the country’s democratic landscape.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we are not making this statement because no youth made his ministerial list; but genuine concern to say capital NO to the deceit making rounds that the cabal which hijacked power from President Buhari is Kaduna Mafia. The tag of Kaduna Mafioso is being weaved to hold tightly on Northerners who in all Mr President’s four elections of 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 pro bono obliged him vote bank of 12 million votes.”

The group stated that its analysis showed that the cabal was a sophisticated fascist variant, with uncanny capacity exemplified by the response of some sections of the country when it was alleged that Mr. Tinubu, the national leader of the APC, complained over the lopsided nature of the initial appointments the president made.

“The crass nepotism and cronyism unfortunately have spread across in the ministerial nomination,” the group argued.

“It is akin to the early days of Hitler’s fascism; where people will say the annihilation doesn’t concern them because they are not communists nor Jews or Catholics, until it spread.

“The Fascist Cabal is given an impression that President Buhari will run for one term, even if this is the case; is it enough reason to kill APC? Or kill the integrity quotient of President Buhari?”

The SDC said though it was not challenging the powers of the president under the 1999 Constitution to appoint whomsoever he deemed fit, he should, in the interest of fairness, equity, natural justice and survival of APC, urgently “reverse the Signature of the Fascist Cabal, especially in the 2nd Ministerial Nominees List as the Window of Substitution is still wide open.”

It said, “Accordingly, we appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to urgently reverse the ignoble Signature of the Fascist Cabal, as the window of substitution is still open.

“This will quickly redeem Your Excellency’s image, which the main opposition party – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has gone to town, narrating the ugly tale that Mr President is never in

‘How cabals within the Presidency hijacked Buhari’s ministerial nominees’

Ministerial List: Senators divided over screening of Amaechi

By Ehi Ekhator, United Kingdom

There are strong indications that Nigerian senators have divided over the screening of a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

Amaechi was one of the 21 nominees that was first submitted to the senate for screening.

Due to the petition submitted against him, the upper house ordered Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to look into it.

Well, it was gathered that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP among the committee are opposed to the screening of Amaechi.

 

It could be recalled that the would-be minister was invited on Monday by the committee where it was resolved that since the petition submitted by Integrity Group against Amaechi was already in court, it would amount to subjudice to handle the petition on corruption.

The inclusion of Amaechi on the list has attracted a lot of criticism mostly from the Rivers people who believed that the former governor was corrupt and still has questions to answer.

Ministerial List: Senators divided over screening of Amaechi

Ministerial Screening: Rivers APC hails Senate C’ttee for clearing Amaechi

The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has congratulated the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public petitions for clearing our leader, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON as one of the Ministerial nominees whose names were sent to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari for screening and confirmation.

Rotimi Amaechi

The APC believed that attempts by detractors to tarnish the impeccable reputation of our amiable leader for the purpose of blackmailing the Senate and the Presidency not to appoint him a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would fail. And it has failed.

The APC in press statement today said it has taken notice of the rulings by the Justice Pindiga-led Election Petition Tribunal for Rivers East which gave victory to our opponents today. We have accepted the rulings but will appeal them immediately.

The statement reads: “As a law-abiding political party, the APC harbours deep-seated respect for the judiciary as the last hope of the common man. We have no iota of doubt that the APC will have all the rulings upturned in favour of the APC at the appellate court level. It is clear that the 21-day notice cited by the panel had earlier been ruled upon as a pre-election matter which should not be brought before the election petition tribunals. That position has been reaffirmed by the appeal court more than once.

“The latest of such cases is that of Dr. Dawari George in which the appeal court held that the Tribunal erred on its ruling because the issue of 21days is a pre-election matter and as such does not include issues meant to be decided by the Tribunal; the Appellate court subsequently upheld the appeal and ordered the Tribunal to resume the trial of the Petition brought by Dawari George and the APC.

“Therefore, the APC would like to appeal to our numerous supporters to remain calm and prayerful as it will all end in praise.”

Ministerial Screening: Rivers APC hails Senate C’ttee for clearing Amaechi

Ex-VC Adewole, Daramola likely on second ministerial list

Screening of 21 nominees begins today 

President Muhammadu Buhari submitted yesterday his second list of ministerial nominees to Senate President Bukola Saraki. He sent the list two weeks after the first one containing 21 names. The second list, sources told The Nation early today, contains 16 names.

Presentation of list of Ministerial Nominees by Chief of Staff to President

Last September 30, President Buhari submitted his first list with an assurance that   ”the list of the remaining nominees will follow shortly.”

The screening of those on the first list begins at the Senate today.

Some of the names on the second list, according to sources, include: the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole (Osun), Prof Omoyele Daramola (Ondo), Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah, Chief Executive of African Capital Alliance, a former New Nigerian Editor Mr. Adamu Adamu and Hajiya Khadijah Abba Ibrahim, wife of Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, a former governor of Yobe State.

Others are Mr James Ocholi (SAN), a former governorship aspirant in Kogi State, Prof. Anthony Anwuka (Imo State), whose son is married to the daughter of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, and Brig. Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) (Zamfara State). He was the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Bayelsa State. He was born in 1959.

Special Adviser on Media to the Senate President Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, said: “The list has been received by the Senate President.

“We received it at 4:24pm. It was brought by the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari.

“He was accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sumaila Kawu,’’ he said.

Olaniyonu, did not confirm if the list would be the last to be sent to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

“We don’t know until the Senate President opens the envelope tomorrow (today) . We do not know the number (of nominees) it contains.

“We just assumed that that is the last batch. I am not sure it will extend to a third batch,’’ he said

The Senate president is expected to read the list to senators today before the screening of the first 21 nominees. The screening is slated for three days.

The second batch of nominees will be be screened later.

Ex-VC Adewole, Daramola likely on second ministerial list

Presidency to make u-turn on petroleum ministerial position

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor, with agency report

There is an indication that the  Presidency has reversed itself on the petroleum ministerial position.

The portfolio will now have no minister, while a ministerial nominee in the person of Emmanuel Kachikwu, current

Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Emmanuel Kachikwu

Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, would be Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.

This indication was given by the presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, barely two weeks after he had told international media that President Muhammadu Buhari would take the position.

Bloomberg, yesterday quoted Adesina as saying “he cannot be President and oil minister at the same time. He will supervise the ministry, so there will be no petroleum minister. Maybe he will appoint a Minister of State.”

Adesina had said in New York, few days to handing over of the ministerial nominees’ list to the Senate that Buhari was to take charge of the ministry.

Reports had come from New York, where Buhari was attending the UN General Assembly last month, quoting the President as saying he would be Minister of Petroleum, with a junior minister taking charge of day-to-day affairs in the sector.

Though Adesina gave the impression that the reversal was to separate the office of the President from that of petroleum ministry, it was speculated that the move may be due to some Senators’ threat to force a screening of the President in line with their rules, if he nominates himself for the position.

Buhari has made tackling the rot in the oil sector a priority, as he seeks to cut endemic graft and put the country’s crippled, crude-dependent finances on a firmer footing.

Nigeria, Africa’s number one crude producer and biggest economy, has been hit badly by a slump in global crude prices since last year, squeezing government revenue.

Oil accounts for some 90 percent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.

The president has vowed to recover “mind-boggling” sums of stolen oil cash, starting with a drastic overhaul of NNPC, the government-owned oil firm.

Buhari helped establish the NNPC in 1977 as oil minister under military government of General Olusegun Obasanjo.

He was later in charge of the Petroleum Trust Fund during the time of General Sani Abacha in the 1990s.

Presidency to make u-turn on petroleum ministerial position

Ministerial List: Buhari submits second batch to senate

President Muhammadu Buhari has submitted another batch of ministerial list to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, for screening and confirmation.

Presentation of list of Ministerial Nominees by Chief of Staff to President

Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), confirmed the submission of the list to the senate.

Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser on Media to the President of the Senate, also confirmed that the upper legislative chamber had received another batch of ministerial list.

“The list has been received by the Senate President.

“We received it at 4:24pm and the list was brought by the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari.

“He was accompanied by the SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sumaila Kawu,’’ he said.

Olaniyonu, however did not confirm if the list was the last to be sent to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

“We don’t know until the Senate President opens the envelop tomorrow. We do not know the number (of nominees) it contained.

“We just assumed that that is the last batch. I am not sure it will extend to a third batch,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Buhari had in a letter dated Sept. 30, submitted a list of 21 ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.

The President, who said that the first submission was a partial list of ministerial nominees, assured that “the list of the remaining nominees will follow shortly.”

Findings showed that the second batch of nominees was submitted to Sen. Saraki by the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, accompanied by Sen. Ita Enang.

The Senate will on Tuesday commence the screening and confirmation of first list of ministerial nominees. (NAN)

Ministerial List: Buhari submits second batch to senate

Ministerial Screening: Lets Amaechi take a bow and go - Rivers APC woos Senate

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend made a strong case for the immediate past governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to be among the few who should be given special consideration by the Senate during the screening of ministerial nominees.

Rotimi Amaechi

The party in a statement issued on Sunday in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, made available to NAIJA CENTER NEWS, commended the Senate for decision to be thorough in the forthcoming screening exercise but appealed to it not to totally discard the tradition of asking deserving ones to take a bow and go.

“We wish to respectfully appeal to the Distinguished Senate to put Rt. Hon. Amaechi on the list of nominees to be honoured with the ‘bow and go’ tradition because he is a distinguished former lawmaker and, indeed, the only Nigerian who apart from being the Speaker of a State House of Assembly for eight years from 1999 to 2007, but also meritoriously served as Chairman of the Nigerian Speakers Forum, thereby greatly contributing to the legislative evolution of Nigeria,” Rivers APC said.

The party also pointed out Amaechi is one of the few Nigerians who have enjoyed the privilege of being elected Governor of a State for two consecutive terms and is the only Nigerian who has served for two terms as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

“Based on the above facts coupled with the revolutionary leadership of Amaechi during his eight golden years in Rivers State that stands him as the best Governor that ever governed the State, we appeal to the Senate to ignore the ranting an ramblings of the drowning Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, whose frustration stems from the fact that Amaechi led the battle that ousted the evil administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. We equally appeal to ignore the misguided petitions by Senator George Sekibo and his co travellers and accord Amaechi his due respect as a great and patriotic Nigerian by allowing him to take a bow and go during the screening exercise,” the party said.

“In addition, Amaechi’s great sacrifices that helped to bring about the present change in the country are well known and have been widely acknowledged by people from various walks of life. We are confident that our great Senators will follow suit by asking this patriotic Nigerian whose love for a strong, virile and united Nigeria is infectious to take a bow and go when he appears before them in the days ahead,” Rivers APC said.

Ministerial Screening: Lets Amaechi take a bow and go - Rivers APC woos Senate

Ministerial Nominees: We won"t support Amaechi - Rivers Senators

Senators from Rivers State on Saturday insisted that they would oppose the nomination of a former governor of the state, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

Rotimi Amaechi

The Senator representing Rivers-East Senatorial District, Senator George Sekibo, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday that the petition against the ex-governor was “supported by the three senators from the state.”

He also said they would insist on the report of the Senate committee on public petitions currently investigating allegations against Amaechi before he could be cleared by the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Amaechi, has told his successor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to go to court over the recommendations of the Justice George Omereji-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the sales of valued assets belonging to the state by the last administration.

Amaechi said in a statement issued from his Media Office on Saturday that rather than engage in theatrics and ‘childish’ tantrums, Wike should prosecute him if there was any case of corruption against him.

The state government had on Friday, while briefing journalists, declared that the commission of inquiry had indicted Amaechi and asked the ex-governor and others to return the sum of N97bn belonging to the state.

The government also directed its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Chinwe Aguma (SAN) to begin a process of prosecuting Amaechi and others indicted by the panel should they fail to return the said sum.

But Amaechi specifically stated that from the way the panel conducted its probe, it was obvious that Wike established it (panel) with a mission to indict him, maintaining that the outcome of the Omereji commission was not surprising to him.

He said, “Indeed, the Wike panel was an inquisition against Amaechi. Wike should go to court if he has any case of alleged corrupt activities against Amaechi. His panel is not and can never be a law court.

“Wike’s regular childish tantrums, theatrics, comedy and drama of screaming huge bogus and phantom figures of missing or stolen or misappropriated billions of naira by the Amaechi-led administration have become a silly and sickening distraction.”

Ministerial Nominees: We won"t support Amaechi - Rivers Senators

Buhari’s ministerial list, total disappointment – Adegboruwa

Civil rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, in this interview with GBENRO ADEOYE, speaks on President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial list and other issues concerning governance

Do you think the names on the ministerial list are worth the wait?

I think that the general reaction to the release of the names of the proposed ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari is that of total disappointment. The reason being that as of the time we were putting pressure on the

General Buhari

President, he went to the United States and asked for patience because he said he was looking for clean people to work with. So the impression created thereby was that he was looking for saints, people who had no blemish, no corruption bags to carry, no allegations and people not involved in any controversy. So we were patient, hoping that he would get such people to run with his vision for Nigeria. So when we saw that list, it was a total disappointment; not because the names listed did not merit to be appointed as ministers. With all due respect, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has been an excellent performer in Lagos State notwithstanding the controversies. Kayode Fayemi comes across as someone who is well grounded, an intellectual to the core. He has governed a state and successfully midwived the national convention of the All Progressives Congress. Dr. Chris Ngige was said to have performed well when he was governor of Anambra State. So I have no problems with the personalities but you will recall that in Lagos State, there are allegations against Fashola that he spent N78m of state resources on a personal website. There are allegations that Fayemi built the secretariat with over N2bn when the salaries of workers could not be paid. So you would be looking for people with no blemish and then you would think that it would cut across the entire gamut of the Nigerian society. But there are no youths among them; they are all aged people, with someone like the same Audu Ogbeh, who has been running this country since 1979. So you look at the list and say ‘what were we waiting for?’ Fashola raised money for Buhari’s campaign; Rotimi Amaechi provided the jet with which he was going all over Nigeria. So what was he waiting for before announcing Fashola or Fayemi? If these are the people to work with him, he should have constituted his cabinet immediately, since May 29 when he was sworn in. The general conclusion is that two things seem to be playing out from the list he submitted. Either the President, with all due respect, is confused and has no vision about what to do as an agenda, or the process of decision making is flawed, slow and elongated. If we are taking four months to announce ministers, then how long will it take us to fix the power sector, education, hospitals and health system, corruption or the judiciary? You then see that he will come across as somebody who probably has no vision and is unserious about governance. He has a limited term of four years and has wasted four months to announce the names of his friends like Lai Mohammed? It was a total disappointment.

If you don’t have any problem with the names on the list, is it then about the allegations or petitions against some of them?

I don’t think it’s so much about the petitions against them. I thought that part of the process of waiting was to conduct proper screening either through the Department of State Security, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or the relevant statutory agency of the government saddled with the responsibility of determining the credentials of those to be appointed into sensitive positions. I think Nigerians are generally angry because the country has been at a standstill since May 29. In the ministries, there has been no clear direction. They are being run by civil servants in confused states, because civil servants wait for directives from the heads. In places like the stock exchange, we are losing a lot. In the financial market, the exchange rate has continued to plummet and investors are afraid to come in because there is no direction or economic policy. There is nobody in charge of the Ministry of finance; there is no Attorney General who can give us a picture of what the administration of criminal justice will be in Nigeria. So it is not just the petitions against these people but also about the individuals who have been announced, do they deserve to have kept Nigeria waiting for four months? Did the President have to wait for four months to tell us that he would work with Mohammed, who has been his party’s spokesperson and so visible. It is totally an embarrassment to tell me that you are waiting for four months to announce such a person in your ministerial list.

Some people expected more technocrats in the list, but there are more politicians there. Does it really matter?

What is clear to us from this is that the President is under some form of bondage, if I can use that word. It is clear that by bending towards hardliners of the APC, he is under the control of politicians. He can no longer say that he is a President for nobody and for everybody. If you look at the list properly, you will see the name of Amaechi, who is being compensated for putting the financial chest of Rivers State at the behest of the President and making the resources of the state like the private jet available to him during the campaign. If I look at Fashola, he is being compensated for being the fundraiser for the President when he was campaigning. Fayemi is being compensated for ensuring that the primary of the APC at the Onikan Stadium went well. Mohammed is being compensated for running such a smooth propaganda by which Nigerians were swindled into believing that Buhari will be a miracle worker. To me, it is clear that this list is not about delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians, because it is not as if their names are attached to particular portfolios. For instance, to say Fashola will be the Attorney General, look at his vision for the justice system, Fayemi will be the Minister for Foreign affairs, etc. From the look of things, clearly the president does not believe in working with anybody, and so he is not looking for technocrats. He has the attitude of bullying people. He has the attitude of not listening to people. He has exhibited the attitude of being a man of his own mind without any regard to the inputs of professionals. Look at it from all the snippets of information we have heard, the candidates of Osinbajo were not chosen. Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) was supposed to be the candidate of the vice-president for ministerial appointment, but he has not been chosen. Dr. Pat Utomi was also supposed to be the candidate of the VP, but he has not been chosen. So the President surely is working as a lone ranger. He went to France and said that ministers were noisemakers and that it is only civil servants who are running the government.

He is only going to use these appointees as management consultants whose opinions he may choose not to listen to. So even if he had appointed technocrats, given the President’s antecedents, he is not going to work with them.

Some people will argue that the PDP failed because its party leaders allegedly used and dumped some members. Is it a bad thing in governance for political parties to compensate people who worked for the success of their party?

The first thing we will look at is that we are still enjoying some relief from the backwardness and misrule we experienced in the past 16 years in the hands of the PDP and that is what the President is still leveraging upon. Nigerians are happy to be rid of that particular era; I must tell you the truth. So in spite of the shortcomings of this government, we still prefer it to what we just experienced, at least in the last four years of former President Goodluck Jonathan. It was like hell. But having said that, the impression we got from the APC is that we are going to witness a change and that the policy of using offices to compensate people on the altar of merits would no longer be the case. There is nothing wrong at all if people who can pilot the nation forward are given appointments based on patronage. The point we are making is that it should have been done at the commencement of this administration. We have paid too much price for these four months of wastage in the financial, health, education and the other sectors of the Nigerian life. There is nothing wrong in compensating people as a mark of acknowledging their commitment and loyalty, but you do that in the course of your campaign. You should have made up your mind that Fashola and Amaechi will be among your ministers. There would be no need for this guesswork that he threw our nation into. The President seems to be enjoying putting Nigerians in some form of suspense. He is arrogating to himself a form of entitlement that says ‘I’m the only person who can rule you people. You have tried this person, he failed. You tried that person, he failed you. I’m the only one who has integrity and the other people are rogues and corrupt, so whatever I’m going to do, you have to tolerate me and bear with me. You have to accept it whether you like it or not’. But that cannot work. It is a military mentality which cannot work in a democratic setting. Gradually we will see that we have been misled into thinking that we were going to experience some sort of change. Four months down the line, we are back to running generators. So many people are losing their lives on account of bad roads and their poor maintenance and time is going. That is why we are so angry. There are things we should have achieved in the last four months, but the President is doing things according to his own fancy, not according to the expectations of Nigerians. And if that is the case, then there is no change at all.

Some people question the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, for fraud while the President is appointing the likes of Fashola and Amaechi with baggage of allegations and petitions against them. Do they have an argument?

Speaking strictly legally, section 36 (5) of the 1999 constitution states that every person who has been charged with a criminal offence is presumed to be innocent until the contrary is proved. So no matter the number of charges or petitions or gravity of allegations, they remain in the realm of allegations until there is judicial pronouncement from the court of law determining the guilt or otherwise of the person who is being speculated or charged. I don’t think that legally speaking, it is wrong to have forwarded the names of people who have allegations of corruption against them to be appointed as ministers. You will recall that in the course of the PDP administration, Senator Iyiola Omisore was accused of involvement in the death of the former Attorney General of the Federation, Bola Ige, and he was indeed charged for murder. He was remanded at Ilesha prison and was inside the prison when he contested the election for the position of senator representing Ife constituency and he won. Not only that, when he got to the senate, he became the Chairman of the Financial Appropriation Committee, one of the most powerful committees. Eventually, his case was determined and he was discharged. So you can imagine what would have happened if on the basis of those allegations, he had been denied those opportunities, only for him to be discharged at the end of the day. What that portends is that we cannot determine that the man is guilty just because people have raised allegations. Legally speaking, I have no problem with the people on the list. However, for a government that is claiming to be fighting corruption, it will be sending a wrong message to the people, in terms of administration and governance. You will be sending a wrong message to have these people who have very weighty allegations of corruption which seem to gain some prominence as your model for governance. For you to go to Bayelsa State and pick a governorship candidate that has not less than two criminal charges filed by your own government, which is EFCC, because it is part of Buhari’s government, or to go to Kogi and pick a candidate who has allegations of corruption. I’m saying that generally, the President would have been more tactical. It will be serious if in the course of governance any of the persons has a proven case of corruption. That will dent the image of the government irreparably, but legally speaking, there is no problem suggesting names of people with allegations of corruption for your cabinet.

Can the anti-graft agencies be reluctant to go after a minister in the government, which could then dent Buhari’s fight against corruption?

Personally, if you are asking me, the so-called fight against corruption is just a gimmick to buy public legitimacy because I cannot see any evidence of the war against corruption. No evidence. All this while that the President has been elected, he has been telling us that corrupt persons were going to be prosecuted and dealt with, but he didn’t take any action. It took the intervention of an anti-graft agency in the United Kingdom to go after a former minister before the EFCC woke up in Nigeria to be running helter-skelter to seal up her house which had been in existence in Abuja all these years. What that tells you is that the President is not serious about fighting corruption. I don’t see why Diezani Alison-Madueke (former Minister of Petroleum) should not have been invited for questioning or arrested before now. This government is not serious about fighting corruption but it is aware that given the suffering, neglect and lack of governance in Nigeria, any fool or an idiot who jumps up in Nigeria and says that he will fight corruption, recover stolen funds, would be accepted by the masses. Nigerians would warm up to such a person even if he has no genuine agenda. So this is just a gimmick of the APC to pull wool over the eyes of Nigerians so that in spite of its lack of agenda from May 29 till now, it has been talks of corruption and corruption. I think that Nigerians should wise up and hold this government accountable to its campaign promises. You want to be giving meals to school children, it’s four months down the line, there is no such thing. You want to be giving money to retirees, there is no such thing. You want to build 3,500km highway roads to link states in the country; you have not even started with the Lagos-Ibadan Road. You want to build an airport in each state of the federation; you are not even repairing the existing ones.

What is your take on Buhari’s announcement in the US that he will occupy the position of petroleum minister?

He cannot do so; we are filing a case against that next week. The President cannot act against the constitution. Section 138 of the constitution states that the President shall not hold any other executive office. The office of the President is already an executive office by virtue of section 5 of 1999 constitution. The office of the minister under section 147 and 148 is also an executive office, you cannot combine the two. He has no choice in the matter.

Secondly, before you can function in office as a minister, your name must be approved and confirmed by the senate. You must go through the screening of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria before you can be a minister. So if he sits in Aso Villa without subjecting himself to confirmation of the senate and arrogate to himself the power of the Minister of Petroleum, he will just be acting illegally. He cannot sign documents; he cannot allocate oil blocs if that is his focus. He cannot lift any crude, unless he is doing so illegally. I think that the President should realise that he is no longer the Head of the supreme military council, which is what he was in 1984 when he took over power by force.

This is democracy dictated by the constitution that he has in his hands. If he doesn’t have sufficient experience based on his military limitations, he should consult his vice-president who is a professor of law and well-meaning Nigerians who are lawyers and experienced constitutional experts. There is no way the President can combine the offices. He can’t say he will do it because former President Olusegun Obasanjo did it.

But he has executive powers…

Executive power does not mean executive dictatorship whereby one person arrogates all power to himself. The executive power we talk of here is a single person at the head of the chain of command who gives directives and makes appointments. He does not pocket portfolios and begins to describe himself as President, minister or Inspector General of Police, there is nothing like that. We are filing a case in court against that for the court to interpret the constitution so that we would move away from the realm of confusion, controversy and speculation. We also want the court to determine whether under the Customs and Excise Management Act, it is legal to pick a retired colonel with no record of service in the Nigerian customs to head the organisation (Nigeria Customs Service), which has its own laws and bureaucracy.

How come Nigerians didn’t challenge Obasanjo when he acted as Minister of Petroleum then?

The fact that Nigerians did not challenge that impunity and illegality in former President Obasanjo does not mean that Buhari should replicate it because I suspect that he may be getting this advice from Ota, Ogun State (Obasanjo’s base). If that is the case, we are wiser and we will not allow that now. There is no basis for that in law.

Buhari’s ministerial list, total disappointment – Adegboruwa

Screening: ‘Don’t frustrate Buhari, governors’ - Lagos Group

A Lagos-based advocacy group, the Law and Good Governance Group, has urged the national and states’ Houses of Assembly to be wary of spurious petitions against certain nominated persons.

Senate

The LGGG on Friday said it was particularly concerned about certain petitions that were purportedly written in respect of certain retired civil servants being considered for cabinet positions in Lagos State.

It said the lawmakers must be vigilant and be seen to be guided by the constitution so as not to allow the hallowed chambers to be used to frustrate either the President or any state governor in the choice of their cabinet members.

The Executive Director, LGGG, Dr. Festus Odunlami, said the lawmakers should bear in mind the provisions of the law that ought to guide them “in determining the effect of a private petition on the eligibility of a nominee for the office of either a minister or commissioner.”

The group argued that the constitution has provisions to deal with the qualification and disqualification of nominees in the country.

Citing one of the provisions for disqualification, Odunlami said a nominee could be disqualified if he “is under a sentence of death imposed on him by a competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for an offence involving dishonesty by fraud (by whatever name called) or any other offences imposed on him by such court or tribunal substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him by such a court or tribunal.”

Also, it said a nominee could only be disqualified if “he has been indicted for embezzlement of fraud by a judicial commission of inquiry or Administrative Panel of Inquiry or an or a tribunal set up under the tribunal of Inquiry Act, a tribunal of Inquiry law or any other law by the Federal and State Government which indictment has been accepted by the Federal or State Government, respectively.”

LGGG further said that although the 1999 constitution envisaged a situation where a nominee could be disqualified, it was evident that the Constitution “is very clear in stating that a person can only be disqualified if he has been indicted or convicted by any of the following: a court, a tribunal, a judicial commission of inquiry, an administrative panel of inquiry set up by Law or the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”

The statement added, “We wish to state, therefore, that the framers of these constitutional provisions placed these strict conditions to prevent third parties from placing non-judicial decisions of questionable validity as hurdles to the election of a nominee.

“They (the lawmakers) should not be seen to be departing from the same constitution that created the laws.”

But an Abuja-based policy analyst, Jide Oluyemi, said that it was important for the Senate to carry out its due investigations on each nominee and not grant them express approval to become a minister.

“The petitions should be attended to by the Senate; they should not say because it’s a list from the President, they shouldn’t do their job. Each nominee should be thoroughly screened and various allegations of corruption against some of them should not be ignored,” he said.

The screening of the ministerial nominees is expected to start on Tuesday, October 13, 2015.

Screening: ‘Don’t frustrate Buhari, governors’ - Lagos Group

PDP senators may reject 21 nominees screening

• Rivers orders Amaechi, others to return N97bn

Tough times await ministerial nominees in the Senate on Tuesday as the Peoples Democratic Party senators on Friday vowed not to lower their guard during the screening at the upper legislative chamber.

Ministerial list

Saturday PUNCH reliably gathered that although some nominees had indirectly contacted the senators across party lines, their efforts had not yielded desired results.

Investigations also showed that the PDP senators might stop the screening, unless President Muhammadu Buhari presents all the 36 ministerial nominees, as against 21 he submitted on Tuesday.

It was learnt that the move by President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress and the senators to reach out to the PDP senators was being coordinated by his Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.

Enang had on Wednesday jointly addressed a press conference with the Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio.

At the press conference, Enang had said, “Part of our job is to reach out to all the sections. And the past is gone, this is a new beginning. We are doing this in the interest of Nigerians.”

Akpabio, on his part, said, “Even though (we are) in the opposition party; we believe strongly in one Nigeria and we believe in the unity and progress of this country.

“Our stand is that anything that can elevate the living standards of Nigeria and improve upon the economy of the entire country, that we will do anything within our powers to play our role.

“It is our duty to rally round the President; to make the economy improve. On a personal note, I am impressed with the list sent by the President. I believe that he has kept to his words by ensuring that he sought out a lot of people of integrity that can salvage the country.”

Nothing will stop us from doing our job—PDP senator

But on Friday, the Senator representing Delta South on the platform of PDP, Ighoyota Amori, in an interview with one of our correspondents, vowed that nothing would make members go back on the modalities for screening.

He described the ministerial list sent by Buhari as a compensation list.

The lawmaker said the nomination was to compensate appointees for their role in the past general elections, which brought the APC government to power.

He said, “First, to be frank to myself, it is shocking that the first list of ministers as was read on Tuesday by the Senate President fell short of national expectations particularly with this their ‘change mantra.’

“Between both of us, the wait between May 29 when the new government was sworn in and September 30 is not worth it in a serious minded government that knows its onions. There was no need for that long wait.”

He cited Britain, where he said Prime Minister David Cameron formed a government, the next day he won an election.

Amori stated, “The election took a long time to process. You have worked with these people and you know them; you should be able in a very serious government that talks about change to have a departure from the past to this ‘change’ which is the slogan.

“The change would have been that after electing them, they formed cabinet and start working immediately. People would have clapped for them. But from May 29 to September 30 and of course, we got the list officially on October 5 and when we heard the names, it was laughable.”

He wondered why it took the President a long time to nominate those, whose names were sent to the senate.

The senator stated, “There was nothing new about them deserving of this long wait. If you take them one by one, there were people who are in the news for one corruption case or the other. For me, I do not have anything against anybody but he would not have wasted the time of Nigerians if he knew he was going to recycle the same people.

“I can call it a compensation list for those who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to help the un-organised army of people to get a victory they did not deserve. People that were used to sabotage their party.

“Look at Ameachi, would you not consider this nomination a compensation for doing a dirty job? Look at Fashola and Fayemi as well as Lai Mohammed, they are all the same. So, what is new? It is the same old story.

“But if APC wants, let them gather all the ex-convicts, we will still do our job. They have the gavel and they are very free to use it the way they like. We would resign our position to the court of public opinion. There are some we cannot oppose because we have seen something in them.”

PDP senators may reject 21-nominee list

Also another PDP senator, who confided in Saturday PUNCH, said the screening was discussed at the party senate caucus meeting on Thursday night.

He said that his colleagues also resolved to reject presentation of the list of minister nominees in batches.

They also threatened to stage a protest on the floor of the senate next week during the screening process unless President Muhammadu Buhari sends the full complements of the ministerial list by Tuesday.

They subsequently sent the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to meet with the senate president and convey their message to him for onward transmission to Buhari.

Screening will be rigorous, Senate spokesman insists

The spokesperson for the senate and APC member, Dino Melaye said except for the slight modification of the procedure for former members of the National Assembly, other nominees would face rigorous screening.

He said, “We maintain that the screening exercise will be rigorous, will be expeditious, and it will be thorough.”

Melaye added that all the petitions received would be looked into, and that their veracity would guide proceedings during the screening exercise.

Also speaking with our correspondent, the Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District on the platform of the APC, Shehu Sani said, “We will not lower our standards, we will follow the constitution and the rules of the Senate in the discharge of our responsibility. No one will be cleared based on sentiments. We won’t disappoint Nigerians.”

“We’ll encourage nominees to reach out to senators–Enang

Enang told reporters in Abuja, that the President respects the constitutional powers of the three arms of government- especially the powers of the legislature which approves the budget as well as screens ministerial nominees among other functions.

According to him, his office has encouraged each of the nominees to reach out to senators to smoothen the grounds.

He also explained that the nominees were being guided on the necessary documents they are expected to make available to senators to ease their confirmation.

Enang said, “We are generally discussing with them, (nominees) on matters they may wish to know more and we will work with them. We have emphasised with them that they have to consult.

“They have to go and meet their respective senators. The president nominated them to the senate; the senators representing their respective states are their first line of defence.

“They are their immediate sponsors other than the senate leader and they have to show absolute respect to all the senators and every other thing will fall in line.”

On the modalities for the screening he said, “The Senate is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and it is free to set its criteria for the screening of the nominees appearing before it.

“Our job is to make sure that we work with the respective senators and the nominees to make sure that the senators are satisfied and agree with the nomination.”

Meanwhile, the three senators from Rivers State, who are members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, have made their intention to oppose the nomination of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi known.

One of the senators who spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said, “How do you think we will in good conscience support his nomination when he is still in court seeking to nullify the election of our governor and ours? Besides, he has not even visited or called any of us. Put yourself in my shoes, can you support such a person?”

Speaking in a similar vein, the Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, said, “Amaechi does not belong to the PDP, he belongs to the APC.

“Amaechi refused to do the normal handover to Governor Nyesom Wike and we can remember that he described the panel set up by the governor as a kangaroo panel.

“We are here for change and that is why the people will not support anybody who has refused to defend many allegations against him. “

However, the State Deputy Chairman of the APC, Chief Peter Odike, said the party was not leaving anything to chance. He said the party was doing all within its power to ensure that Amaechi scales through the screening.

Odike, who spoke through his Media Assistant, Mr. Paul Osiagu, expressed confidence that there were PDP senators who were sympathetic to Amaechi’s course and would rise up to defend him when the time is ripe.

He, however, declined to give details of what plans the party has put in place to counter the PDP on the floor.

Amaechi sighted at Senate

Meanwhile, a former Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was sighted at the Senate on Friday obviously to perfect his documentation at the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.

Ameachi, who drove himself to the Federal Parliament in company with the immediate past senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Magnus Abe, spent about one hour in Enang’s office, without granting interview.

PDP senators may reject 21 nominees screening

See speculated portfolio of would-be ministers

Following the release of 21 names of ministerial nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to Senate President Bukola Saraki last week, there have been lots of speculations on the social media about who heads what ministry among the ministers who will still have to be screened by the senate before the president announce portfolio’s he assigned to each of them. See the purported list on allotment of portfolios, do you think all the ministers rightly fit the minsitries apportioned to them?

Chris Ngige – Anambra (Health)

Kayode Fayemi – Ekiti (Foreign Affairs)

Rotimi Amaechi – Rivers (Ministry of Niger Delta )

Babatunde Fashola – Lagos (FCT)

Abdulrahman Danbazau (Defence)

Aisha Alhassan – Taraba (Women Affairs)

Ogbonaya Onu – Abia (Science and Technology)

Kemi Adeosun – Ogun (Trade and Investment)

Abubakar Malami (SAN) – Kebbi (Justice)

Sen Hadi Sirika – Katsina (Aviation)

Barr. Adebayo Shittu – Oyo (Works)

Suleiman Adam – Jigawa (Labour and Productivity)

Solomon Dalong – Plateau (Interior)

Ibe Kachikwu – Delta (Petroleum and natural resources)

Osagie Ehanire – Edo (Water Resources and Solid Minerals)

Audu Ogbeh – Benue (Agriculture)

Lai Mohammed – Kwara (Information and Communication)

Ahmed Isa Ibeto – Niger (Transportation)’

Amina Mohammed – Kaduna (Finance)

Udoma Udoma – Akwa Ibom (Culture and Tourism).

See speculated portfolio of would-be ministers

Ministerial Screening: Fayose orders senator to give easy pass to Fayemi

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has ordered the senators from Ekiti State to give ex-governor Kayode Fayemi easy passage while observing ministerial screening at the National Assembly.

In a statement in Ado-Ekiti Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor gave the advice while meeting with student leaders from the state under the aegis of Federation of Ekiti Student Union (FESSU) in his office.

Fayemi was one of the ministerial list sent to the president of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

The governor disclosed that  the Ekiti project belongs to all and that everything must be done to support it.

DETAILS LATER

Ministerial Screening: Fayose orders senator to give easy pass to Fayemi

I didn"t discuss my trial with Buhari - Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday evening said the focus of the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the National Assembly was how to better the lot of Nigerians.

Bukola Saraki

He said the meeting, which was at the instance of the President, was to devise means of delivering the promises made to Nigerians during electioneering.

Saraki spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting held behind closed doors at the First Lady’s Conference Hall inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said, “The meeting was an initiative of the President for an interaction with the leadership of the National Assembly.

“It was a very useful session, being the first one. This kind of interaction helps in ensuring smooth relationship between the two arms of government.

“We discussed a number of issues: some of the plans. The general commitment is that yes, the National Assembly has legislators from different parties but now we are representing Nigeria. We have a common goal to see that we work together for the interest of the country as a whole.”

When asked whether his ongoing trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged false declaration of assets came up during the meeting, Saraki said, “We are talking about what will make Nigeria work, we are talking about the promises we made during elections.

“Those are the big issues we are talking about and to ensure that there are no distractions. The focus is to ensure that the executive arm does things in the interest of the county.

“It is normal in democratic setting, from time to time, you see the parliament talking with the executive. That is how to make things work.”

Saraki said Nigerians should be confident that the present government would work in their interest.

He promised that the two arms or government were committed to work together for the good of the people.

“What we are taking away is for Nigerians to be confident that government is working. We are committed to work together and it is going to be for the good of Nigerians at large.

“It is a good development. We are all committed to what we are all elected to do: to make Nigeria work,” he said.

Saraki also justified the absence of the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, at the meeting, saying he was attending a conference outside the country at the time of the parley.

“Two people are not here because they are attending a conference. The Deputy Minority Whip in the House too is not here. It just happened that they are not in the country,” he explained.

Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, led the lawmakers to the late night meeting with the President.

Others who attended the meeting from the Senate included the Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume; the Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah; Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio and Minority Whip, Philip Aduda.

Those who attended from the House of Representatives included the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; and House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.

I didn"t discuss my trial with Buhari - Saraki

Ex-governors in Senate to back Amaechi

Senate President  Bukola Saraki and 12 other senators may have resolved to support the confirmation of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as cabinet minister, sources said yesterday.

Rotimi Amaechi

The three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators representing Rivers State had raised an objection to Amaechi’s nomination and vowed to stop his confirmation.

Our correspondent gathered that Saraki and  former governors in the Senate have vowed to save one of their own from humiliation.

Besides Saraki, others in the group are Senators Godswill Akpabio, Sam Egwu, Theodore Orji, Joshua Dariye, Danjuma Goje and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Others are Senators Jonah Jang, George Akume, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Ahmad Sani, Aliyu Wamakko, Adamu Aliero and Isiaka Adeleke.

Our correspondent further gathered that the senators, who cut across party lines, may have started reaching out to other senators to garner enough support for Amaechi.

It was also revealed that while Saraki will be rallying All Progressives Congress (APC) senators, Akpabio who is the Minority Leader will be reaching out to senators of PDP extraction.

An aide to one of the senators who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity shortly after plenary session on Wednesday, confirmed the senators’ position.

The aide said: “I can confirm to you that all the senators who were governors have decided to rally support for Amaechi to ensure his confirmation. As a matter of fact, they have picked two among themselves as contact persons.

“Their position is that somebody who is qualified enough to be governor should also be good enough to be minister. The ex governors are also of the view that humiliation of one of them is humiliation of all”.

Ex-governors in Senate to back Amaechi

Buhari meets Saraki, Dogara, others in Aso Villa

President Muhammadu Buhari last night met behind closed doors with the leaderships of the Senate and House of Representatives at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

General Buhari

Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker  Yakubu Dogara, led the leadership of the two chambers to the State House.

Other Senate leaders at the meeting included Majority Leader Ali Ndume;  Deputy Majority Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah;  Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio and Minority Whip, Philip Aduda.

Deputy Senate  President  Ike Ekweremadu was absent.

Members from the House of Representatives  included  Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun; and  Leader Femi Gbajabiamila.

They arrived at the First Lady’s Conference Hall venue in a convoy at about 8.45pm.

The meeting started about 9.15pm when Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and some top government officials arrived at the venue.

Reporeters were barred from covering the meeting.

Even though the agenda of the meeting was not made public, it was gathered that it was not unconnected with moves to resolve the crisis and reconcile Saraki with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Saraki, who is being prosecuted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false declaration of assets emerged the President of the Senate against the party’s wish.

Another issue that might be tabled during the meeting is the plan by the President to send a supplementary budget to the National Assembly.

The meeting was still in progress as of the time of filing this report,

Buhari meets Saraki, Dogara, others in Aso Villa

Ministerial List: APC lauds Nigerian Senate over support, love for Amaechi

 

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Rivers State chapter has hailed the awesome show of support and love by overwhelming number of Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi when the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator George Sekibo attempted to submit a purported petition against former Governor Amaechi on the floor of the Senate Wednesday.

Rotimi Amaechi

To the APC, the story of Senator George Sekibo easily qualifies as a classical case of somebody “biting the finger that fed him or her.”

The APC in a statement signed and made available to NAIJA CENTER NEWS by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Chris Finebone said, “We would like to recall that former governor Chibuike Amaechi it was who single-handedly insisted and supported Senator George Sekibo in 2011 against the vehement agitation by Nyesom Wike for the Rivers East Senatorial ticket. Despite being the governor’s Chief of Staff, the then Governor Amaechi resisted Wike’s intensive lobby and stood by Senator Sekibo to go for a second term. Apparently, this is one of the grievances Wike nurses for Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi to this day.”

It explained that George Sekibo is a 3 times Senator today is due to former governor Amaechi’s moral, political and resource support and the Senator knows this. All the Senators before Sekibo including Senator John Mbata served only two terms.

The further reads: “It was a relief that Senator George Sekibo finally exposed himself today as the character behind the production of 116 CDs titled Rivers of Corruption for distribution to the 109 Senators of the Federal Republic in which highly malicious and unfounded accusations of corruption were levelled against the person of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi without proof of any kind. The aforesaid CDs are a repetition of accusations earlier made against the former governor by the so-called Integrity Group formed and sponsored by Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP for which all the issues have earlier been sufficiently dealt with by all those who served under the former governor as Commissioners.

“It is not surprising that Senator George Sekibo lacks basic knowledge of how the Amaechi administration worked otherwise he would have understood that former Governor Chibuike Amaechi only exercised oversight while the Commissioners where the actual managers of government projects and programmes under the different Ministries.

“The APC would like to emphasize that the former Commissioners who were executors of the Amaechi administration’s projects and programmes have also robustly responded to the Integrity Group with facts and figures that showed off their accusations as a tissue of lies and a figment of their warped imaginations

“Once again, it was a thing of joy to observe Distinguished Senators across party lines spontaneously rise in defence of a good man whose only offence is his dogged fight that contributed in no small way to the woeful defeat of the PDP and former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the 2015 general elections. Our Distinguished Senators rose beyond partisan and narrow interests when it mattered most and showed that an exceedingly visionary leader like Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi cannot be made a victim of cheap political blackmail by some selfish, misguided and small-minded persons.

“The APC would like to warn the likes of George Sekibo not to embark on the fruitless enterprise of launching hate campaigns against Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi as God will continue to render such exercises dead on arrival. Whom God has blessed, no man can curse.”

Ministerial List: APC lauds Nigerian Senate over support, love for Amaechi

Amaechi Ministerial Nomination: Actualise treat to commit suicide - APC tells Wike

says Buhari’s best independence anniversary gift – Rivers APC

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted with joy to the news of the nomination of the immediate past governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a Minister by President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as a fitting independence anniversary gift by the Nigerian leader to Rivers State and her people.

Nyesom Wike and Romiti Amaechi

A statement signed by the State Party Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, and issued and made available to NAIJA CENTER NEWS on Tuesday in Port Harcourt said:

“With the listing, today, of Rt. Hon. Amaechi as a ministerial nominee despite all the manipulations, witch-hunting and other evil plots by Chief Nyesom Wike and his cohorts, we are elated that, once more, good has prevailed over evil, God over devil, Amaechi over wicked Wike, light over darkness, patriotism over nepotism. By this singular act, President Muhammadu Buhari has not only given us the best 55th independence anniversary gift but has also liberated Rivers State from the shackles of a despotic and demonic clique that thought that by propaganda that they could rewrite the history of Rivers State and run down a man whose love for the development and emancipation of Rivers State and Nigeria is infectious. President Buhari has proven that he is not only a man of honour, integrity and principle but also a man who cherishes and promotes friendship and patriotism. We are proud that Buhari did not allow the propaganda by Wike and his cohorts to sway him from the fact that Amaechi is a man that he can trust any day and anytime.”

The APC assured President Buhari that Amaechi will not only bring honour to his administration but will also work very hard to make his administration one of the best ever in the annals of Nigeria’s history. “As we congratulate Amaechi, we urge him to be steadfast in his drive for a better Nigeria by giving out his best as the failure of the Buhari administration will be blamed on him in view of the risks and sacrifices he made in bringing the APC government to birth.

We thank General Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola Tinubu, General TY Danjuma and all the great minds that ensured that the plots of evil men never prevailed in the appointment of Amaechi as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as his non-appointment would have discouraged most Nigerians from working hard to unseat n non-performing government headed by their kinsman,” Rivers APC said.

The party urged Chief Wike to actualise his threat to commit suicide if Amaechi is made a Minister. “Wike, the Caretaker Governor of Rivers State, was so sure that Amaechi would not be so appointed when he boasted to his inner caucus that based on his groundwork Amaechi would never be on the ministerial list. So sure was Wike that he vowed that if for any reason Amaechi was appointed a minister he (Wike) would commit suicide. We expect him to act according to his vow but before he commits suicide let him first refund all the Rivers State billions of naira wasted in the persecution of a man who brought him into political limelight and whom he is hounding for no sane reason,” Rivers APC said.

Amaechi Ministerial Nomination: Actualise treat to commit suicide - APC tells Wike

Petroleum Minister: Buhari must be screened, says Senate

ABUJA—Strong indications have emerged that today’s plenary session, where the Senate would unveil the ministerial list sent by President Muhammadu Buhari, may be stormy as senators are saying the President must, in line with the constitution, submit himself before the Senate for screening if he appointed himself Minister of Petroleum.

General Buhari

They are also set to reject an incomplete list, saying the constitution provides for a nominee from each state of the federation and that any list that did not cover the 36 states would suffer serious opposition on the floor of the Senate.

The senators have also vowed that they would not be cowed by the trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, just as they promised to adopt stringent measures in line with the provisions of the Constitution during the screening of ministerial nominees.

They added that the tradition of take-a-bow for senators coming for screening as ministers would be jettisoned, adding that they were prepared to send names of nominees to the sender of such a list.

Senate President, Dr. Saraki, is currently facing trial at CCT, following a 13-count charge levelled against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, bordering on alleged corruption and false declaration of assets in 2003 and summoned him to appear before it, which he did.

‘We’ll stick to rules’

Speaking with journalists yesterday in Abuja, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abia North, who noted that the list was expected to be complete, in line with the Constitution, said: “The list will be unveiled tomorrow( today). The Senate President kept to his words that the envelope will remain sealed until tomorrow (today).

“We know that all we have been reading could be speculations until it is opened. It will be read on the floor of the Senate and we will know. Even the 21 that people are speculating will be ascertained tomorrow (today) on the floor.

“The Constitution does not support ministers by batches. Every state must be represented but if the number is not complete, some of us may raise constitutional issues. If we have to wait for another three months for him to send another list comprising representatives of other states, it means those states would be non-functional.

“We will be guided by the constitution and the rules of the senate. This time around, we resolved that we are going to be quite stringent. We are going to ensure that whoever is coming as the minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must be somebody worth the salt; somebody we can rely upon and somebody that would have met the constitutional requirements.

‘We’ll stick to the rules’

“We are not considering waving any rule. Why should we wave the rule? If we want to do that, it should be before the screening. I believe that at the end of the day Nigerians will be happy because some Nigerians are already saying that the names being speculated were not what they have been waiting for these five months.

“This government has tagged itself as the government of change. If that is the cardinal thing, it will be against this Senate and, indeed, against the President and Nigerians for us to see a very strong allegation that hinges on corruption and we ignore it. If we see a strong petition, definitely we will look into it and follow it to a logical conclusion.

“If it requires writing to the anti-graft agencies like ICPC or EFCC to give us a report on such a person, we will do that because that is what screening is all about. Screening is not a tea party. In Cross River State the appointees are going to write aptitude test.”

Days of take-a-bow over

On the President’s decision to appoint himself as Minister of Petroleum, he said: “I do not think the President’s name will be on the list and I also do not think that the President will say he is a minister because if you are a minister, one of the conditions is that you must be subjected to screening and approval of the Senate.

“He, as the chief minister, can be there to supervise any ministry, but he cannot be a minister. Whoever is advising him to be minister is not advising him rightly.”

Chairman, Senate ad hoc Committee on Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West): “In our screening of ministers, it will not be business as usual. The era of take a bow and go are over. The right people will be made ministers without any political or religious consideration.”

Petroleum Minister: Buhari must be screened, says Senate