Senate defers confirmation of Amaechi, Bello others

The Senate yesterday concluded the three-week-old confirmation screening of the 36 min­isters-designate sent to it last month by President Muhammadu Buhari. Again, it failed to confirm nominees that were grilled last week, as well as the last 11 that were screened on Monday and yesterday.

Senate President Bukola Saraki did not give reasons for the repeated delay of the confirma­tion of the ministers-designate, but it is hoped that the Senate may confirm the nominees to­morrow, after which the names would be for­warded to Buhari.

Members of the opposition Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP) yesterday met after plenary at the Senate Hearing Room One.

Although there was no official statement from the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, as at Press time, it was, however, gathered that the lawmakers met to restrategise on how to counter plans by All Progressives Congress (APC) Sena­tors to confirm former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as minister.

The PDP Senators had last week refused to participate in screening Amaechi. They had ob­jected to Saraki’s refusal to allow lawmakers debate the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Amaechi.

It is unclear whether APC Senators were also meeting.

Meanwhile, the last batch of nominees that were screened yesterday include Dr. Okechuk­wu Eyinna Enelamah (Abia), Prof. Anthony Gozie Anwuka (Imo), Mr. Mohammed Musa Bello (Adamawa), Mr. Adamu Adamu (Bauchi) and Ms Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto).

The exercise which commenced at about 11.40am, followed the submission of the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Pub­lic Petitions on a petition from Sokoto women against Ms Abubakar. The petition was, how­ever, withdrawn after which the nominee was given a nod to be screened alongside with other ministers-designate.

Thereafter, the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, moved a motion that the chamber dissolved into a committee of the whole. He was seconded by Akpabio.

The Senate adjourned at about 3.23pm till to­day, October 29.

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday queried the planned review of the contract for the con­struction of the second runway for the Nnam­di Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. It is es­timated at N63.5 billion. The chamber described the plan to splend such amount as an attempt to ‘steal and rape Nigerians of the country’s com­mon patrimony.

It therefore, urged the Federal Government to ensure that due process and diligence are fol­lowed in the award of contracts for the planned construction.

Its resolution was sequel to a motion by Sena­tor Dino Melaye, (APC, Kogi West), entitled, “The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Second Runway Contract.”

The Senate, while calling on the government to drastically reduce what it termed, the unreal­istic cost, said the government must monitor the contract award process, even as it stressed the need for the immediate construction of the sec­ond runway at the airport.

Earlier in his presentation of the motion, Sena­tor Melaye noted that the exercise was cancelled by the last administration after allegation of over-inflation of contracts was established.

By The Sunnews