Buhari not lobbying for Buratai, others for Ambassadorial confirmation – Presidential Aide
Tunde Opalana and Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja
Indications emerged Monday that President Muhammadu Buhari is not lobbying the Senate for an expeditious confirmation of four immediate service chiefs nominated for Ambassadorial positions.
This disclosure was made by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare.
The Daily Times recall that President Buhari had on Thursday last week, through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina, forwarded request for Confirmation to the Senate, Ambassadorial nominations of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt- Gen Yusuf Tukur Buratai, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall, Abubakar Sadeeq and former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok – Ete Ekwe Ibas.
The President in the letter of request, said: “In accordance with section 171 (1), (2) (c) & sub-section (4) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under-listed five (5) names of nominees as Non-Career Ambassadors-Designate.”
The request caused ripples in the polity last week as the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP Abia South) and some political commentators decried the nominations as reward for failure or non performance.
However, Senator Omoworare in an interview with journalists, said the Presidency was not ready to stampede the legislature into acceding to Buhari’s request and that he was not aware of any move to lobby the legislators.
The presidential aide said: “I think if anybody says there is any lobbying going on as regards nominations of former service chiefs for Ambassadorial appointments by Mr President, I am not aware.
“But if there is lobbying going on for them to pass through the Confirmation process, I sincerely think it is in order, it is not an aberration, it’s not a transgression, it’s not a sin for lobbying to occur.
“Having been service chiefs before, should they be nominated as ambassadors especially because the Senate and House of representatives have not been on the same page with them, it is normal.
“That does not mean they cannot be successful ambassadors. It is for the senators to determine whether looking at their profiles, their curriculum Vitae and their credentials they can be good representatives of Nigeria.
“For them to even be service chiefs it means they have attained some heights, because being service chief is being at the pinnacle of their career which is an achievement.”
