Again Abaribe quips Buhari over lopsidedness in appointment as Senate confirms 37 FCC nominees
Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe on Tuesday once again quipped President Muhammadu Buhari over concentration of appiuntment of heads of government agencies and parastatals in a section of the country as against the principle of federal character.
This came as the Senate confirmed 37 out of 38 nominees forwarded to it by President Muhamnadu Buhari as Chairman and members of the Federal Character Commission ( FCC) .
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South senatorial district showed open resentment to what he described as unhealthy situation where Nigerians from the same part of the country occupies the Chairmanship and Secretaryship positions of the FCC.
In his observation of the list of names forwarded for senate confirmation as chairman and members of the Cimmission by Buhari, , Abaribe said the two principal positions of chairman and srcretary in FCC have always been occupied on the basis of North and South .
According to him, over the years , while competent Nigerians from the North have been appointed as Chairman of the Commission , Secretary to the Commission has always been from the south in line with section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“Appointment of Mohammed Bello Tukur from Taraba State in 2017 as Secretary of the Commission by President Muhamnadu Buhari , gave the impression that a new Chairman would be from the South but nomination of Dr Muheeba Dankaka from Kwara State as the new chairman , violated the age long principle.
” The Senate needs to look into this in the spirit of the principles of federal character itself ” , he said .
In his intervention, the Deputy President of the Senate , Ovie Omo-Agege, said the submission of Abaribe is targetted at the powers of President Buhari on nomination and appointment of competent Nigerians into public office.
He added that though the issue of balancing raised by Abaribe as regards the two principalship positions of the commission is germane but perceived anomalies would be corrected in months to come .
“President Buhari is aware of the need to balance the positions and will do that when the tenure of the incumbent secretary expires in February next year .
” Mr President , this issue has been in the public domain since the nominees were sent here for confirmation and since there is window of redressing perceived anomaly in few months time , I will urge us to please forge ahead with the confirmation “, he said .
Consequently the President of the Senate , Ahmad Lawan concurred to the submission by presenting names of the nominees for confirmation which were done through voice votes.
Aside the Chairman , other nominees confirmed were Henry Ogbulogo, Abia; Salihu Bello, Adamawa; Obonganwan Dborah Daniel Ebony, Akwa-Ibom; Ibeabuchi Uche, Anambra; Mohammed Tijjani, Bauchi; Tonye Okio, Bayelsa; Silas Mfa Macikpah, Benue; Abba Ali Monguno, Borno; Nsor Atamgba, Cross River; and Alims Agoda.
Others are: Tobias Chukuemeka, Ebonyi; Imuetinyan Festus, Edo; Sesan Fatoba; Ginika Florence Tor, Enugu; Hamza Mohammed, Gombe; Diogu Uche, Imo; Lawan Ya’u Roni, Jigawa; Hadiza Usman Muazu, Kaduna; Mohammed Awwal Na’iya, Kano; Lawal Garba, Katsina; Abubakar Atiku Bunu, Kebbi; Idris Eneye Bello, Kogi; Are Miftah Bolaji, Lagos; Nasir Isa Kwarra, Nasarawa; and Suleiman Barau, Niger.
Also confirmed are Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, Ogun; Olufemi Omosanya, Ondo; Adeoye Abdularazaq Olalekan, Osun; Adeniyi Olowofela, Oyo; Stephen Jings, Plateau; Wokocha Augustine, Rivers; Abdullahi Taminu Tafida, Sokoto; Alhaji Armaya’u Dauda Abubakar, Taraba; Jibril Maigari, Yobe; Sani Garba, Zamfara; and Adamu Mohammed Sidi-Ali and Federal Capital Territory.
Meanwhile , President Buhari has made fresh nomination into the Commission from Kwara State as member in person of James Giya Kolo .
Daniel James Kolo earlier nominated by the President died before screening by the Senate .
Letter to that effect from the President , was read in plenary by the Senate President , Ahmad Lawan
