President Buhari must appear before us for screening if he wants to become petroleum minister – Senate

If President Muhammadu Buhari wants to become Nigeria’s petroleum minister like he has declared, he’s got to be grilled like the rest of the nominees whose names were forwarded to the national assembly for screening, the Nigerian senate has said.

The senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Sen Mao Ohuabunwa, told journalists in Abuja on Monday that President Buhari must appear before the Senate if he wants to become the petroleum minister.

Said Ohuabunwa: “The constitution is clear and we will follow the constitution and the laid down rule. I don’t think the President’s name will be on the list and I also don’t think that the President will say he is a minister.

“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 a minister is not advising him rightly.”

The senate has also said it will employ the services of the anti-graft agencies like the EFCC and the ICPC in screening the president’s ministerial nominees. It promised that the era of bow and go is over.

The senate begins screening of the ministerial nominees today (Tuesday).