There was uproar in the Senate on Thursday over alleged lopsided appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Proceedings were held up for over 30 minutes as senators mostly of the Southeast extraction took the floor to convince their colleagues that “a grave injustice had been done to the zone in the spread and headship of federal agencies and parastatals.”
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, spearheaded the protest when he drew attention to what he called “unacceptable nominations for the leadership of some agencies.”
Ekweremadu was particularly peeved when Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, read a communication by President Buhari on the nomination for appointment of Chairman and members of the Governing Board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
The nominees have a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor, Mr.Tunde Lemo, as Chairman of the board.
Other nominees for the board included “ Engr. Nurudeen Abdulrahman Rafindadi (managing director), Buba Silas Abdullahi, Babangana, Mohammed Aji, Engr. Shehu Usman Abdullahi, Loratta Ngozichukwu Aniagolu, Mujaidu Stanley Dako and Vincent Oladapo Kolawale, as executive directors.
Ekweremadu said that the Senate should not continue to allow skewed appointments to escape its scrutiny and sanction.
Citing Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which deals with Federal Character Principles, Ekweremadu said that the constitutional provision is clear on how appointments should be shared in the federation to accommodate every section of the country to ensure equity and fairness.
Ekweremadu said: “I want to draw the attention of this Senate to the provisions of Section 14 (3) of our constitution.
It says: ‘The composition of the government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies’.
“I don’t have problem with any part of Nigeria. But I have problem with the way government is directing its appointments. Over the last two to three weeks, Sir, we have had cause to either discuss this FERMA that has been announced today or the NDIC or AMCON or FCSC.
“The heads of all these parastatals have come from one particular part of Nigeria and this is completely unfair. We can’t sit in this Senate and allow that to go on.
“So, I believe that we need to point it out to the federal executive to ensure that every part of Nigeria is represented in the running of Nigeria. This is completely unacceptable to me, Sir.
“I am talking of the leadership of these agencies. The leadership of these agencies, all of them have come from one part of Nigeria”.
Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan promptly faulted the observation of Ekweremadu.
Lawan (Yobe North) said that Ekweremadu picked only FERMA appointment in exclusion of the general picture of appointments.
Insisting that the President has been fair in all ramifications, Lawan said the general picture of appointments should be considered to get a clearer spread of nominations and appointments.
He said that a holistic consideration of appointments should be conducted.
Ekweremadu interjected and noted that he was talking particularly about the leadership of the appointments made by the President which he said continued to tilt in favour of a particular area of the country.
He said that fairness demanded that all sections of the country must be given a sense of belonging both in appointments and other affairs of the country.
Tension soared in the chamber as members took ethnic and regional lines.
Shouts of “yes, no, yes, no” echoed in the chamber.
Saraki who appeared to have sensed danger, described the matter at issue as “very sensitive” to be considered on its face value.
He said that the chamber should mandate the committee on Federal Character to scrutinise and present a report on federal appointments on Tuesday to enable the Senate take a position.
Senators, he said, should wait for the report to be better informed especially when Ekweremadu came under Point of Order.
Saraki reminded the chamber that he merely read a communication from Mr. President and has not referred it to any committee.
Hardly had Saraki concluded when the Senator representing Enugu North, Chukwuka Utazi raised another Point of Order on privilege.
Utazi who also harped on fairness and equity in the country was cut short by Saraki on the ground that the issue he was talking about had already been ruled upon.
The presentation of the request of President Buhari for the confirmation of nominees for appointment as chairman and commissioners for the Federal Civil Service Commission who had Dr. Bello Tukur Ingawa (Katsina) as proposed chairman did not help matters.
Other proposed members of the commission included Moses Musa Ngbale (Adamawa), Waziri Umara Ngurno (Borno), Bello Mahmoud Babura (Jigawa), Ahmed M. Sarna (Kebbi), Iyabode Odulate-Yusuf (Ogun), Shehu Umar Danyaya (Niger), Fatai Newton Adebayo (Oyo), Ejoh Michael Chikwumemeka (Anambra), Joe Philip Poroma (Rivers), Ibrahim Mohammed (Kaduna), Aminu Dio Sheidu (Kogi) and Simon Etim (Akwa Ibom).
The senator representing Abia North, Mao Ohuabunwa, moved that consideration and screening of the nominees for the Federal Civil Service Commission should be suspended pending the submission of the report of the Federal Character committee on appointments.
Ohuabunwa insisted that suspension of the screening of the nominees should allow the Senate to take proper cognizance of the leadership and spread of appointments made by the president.
Some of his colleagues attempted to shout him down but Ohuabunwa insisted on being heard.
“As a comrade, I can shout louder but shouting is not the issue. We are talking of the important issue of fairness and equity in this country. I move that the consideration and screening of the nominees be suspended to allow us to receive the report of the Federal Character committee,” Ohuabunwa said.
Utazi who supported the prayer for suspension of the screening of the nominees said that “every thing should be kept in abeyance until the submission of the report.
Saraki insisted that the Federal Character committee had already been mandated to submit a report on Tuesday.
Senator Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi central) said that the issue should not be swept under the carpet.
He noted that it is curious that certain states have continued to be favoured in appointments to the disadvantage of others particularly Ebonyi State.
Saraki asked Ogba to hold his peace until the report of the committee is received.