No More Bow & Go: Senators Talk Tough On Ministerial Nominees, Set For Screening Today

After a long wait, Nigerians will, finally, gain insight into President Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet when the ministerial list is unveiled in the Senate today.

Senators are, however, insisting "the era of bow-and-go" for ministerial nominees is over. Some Senators reiterated they would be guided strictly by procedures and processes in screening and confirming President Buhari's ministerial nominees.

Buhari submitted the first batch of ministerial-nominees to Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki after plenary last Wednesday, in fulfilment of a promise to send the list to the Senate before September 30.

On receipt of the list, Saraki insisted he would only unveil the list to his colleagues in plenary today.

Senate spokesman Dino Melaye, who was the first to give the hint on Monday, said the screening would no longer be business as usual, adding that the screening process would be "strict."

Melaye said Senators are now interested in hearing and assessing the nominees and that Senate would ensure that the screening is done professionally, following the laid down legislative procedures.

Senator Mao Ohunabunwa also dropped hints that a stringent screening process awaits the nominees.

He stated that a nominee must first be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives before he or she would be confirmed as minister.

"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 affiliation, he said.

Meanwhile, some constitutional lawyers have expressed reservations about screening of nominees and what the Senate should do with regards to Buhari's retention of the Petroleum Resources Ministry.

Abdulsemihi Oladele and Socrates Ehigiator, in separate interviews cited different sections of the 1999 Constitution and insisted that lawmakers are only empowered to confirm names forwarded to them by the president.

They averred that any attempt to do otherwise will be a breach of the same Constitution.
The lawyers also said since President Buhari has decided to nominate himself as petroleum minister, he must be subjected to confirmation by the Senate, in line with the provisions of the Constitution, as amended.

On the report that the president's ministerial list would be submitted in batches, Ohuabunwa said Buhari has done his own job adding, "all I know is that I expect that the list will be complete for us to move on because the Constitution never said it should be submitted in batches and the Constitution has said one minister from every state.

"So, if you are screening and other states have not been represented, how can you explain that because nothing says that the president must submit list in batches. If that is done some states might be disenfranchised. To be fair to all that list must be complete before we commence screening."

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