In spite of fierce opposition from lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the senate on Wednesday screened Musiliu Obanikoro for a ministerial position.
He was asked to take the customary “bow and go” – a preferential treatment for former senators – effectively confirming him as a minister.
APC senators from Lagos state, represented by Ganiyu Solomon (Lagos west), spoke against the confirmation of Obanikoro on the grounds that he was “implicated” in the alleged rigging of the Ekiti election in June 2014.
Solomon pointed out that the senate had confirmed Obanikoro before but “things had since changed.” He urged the senate to defer the screening and confirmation of Obanikoro “until justice has been done to the issue at hand”.
However, David Mark, senate president, over-ruled the request, putting the confirmation of Obanikoro to a voice vote. The majority carried the day as Obanikoro was confirmed as minister.
Gbenga Ashafa, the senator representing Lagos east, had first raised a point of order challenging the attempt to screen Obanikoro. Ashafa, who said Obanikoro has a pending case in court, brought out a copy of The Nation Newspaper to butress his point. He further said Mark and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were joined in the suit.
But Mark ruled him out of order, saying the court was yet to serve him in that regard. “You don’t serve me on the pages of the newspaper. As far as I am concerned, there is no case in court, so I rule you out of order,” Mark said.
The first attempt at screening last week had ended in chaos. Speaking to journalists at the national assembly complex, APC senators led by George Akume, senate minority leader, expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the senate. He stated that the confirmation of Obanikoro after the rejection of his nomination by senators from Lagos state was worrisome and tantamount to neglecting the minority. He added that APC senators remained opposed to the confirmation of Obanikoro and would continue to call for his rejection.
Also speaking, Chris Ngige (Anambra central) said that the confirmation of the former minister of state for defence was prejudicial as there is already a case in court over the matter. “Only the court can now undo what the senate has done,” he said.
Obanikoro, former minister of state for defence, resigned his position last year to seek the Lagos governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost to Jimi Agbaje.
He was renominated as minister by President Goodluck Jonathan
