The Nigerian Senate has insisted that the embargo on the confirmation of appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari, which was taken in 2017 remains. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki stated this on Thursday while responding to a point of order raised by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa. The Senator raised the order after Saraki read a letter from President Buhari seeking the Senate's approval for the 2017 budget estimates of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Senator Mao Ohuabunwa reminded the Senate that three states had no representation on the board of the NDDC, which he blamed on the suspension of confirmation of nominees. He pointed out that the NDDC Act clearly stated the composition of the board to include representatives from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers states, with three persons to represent non-oil producing states provided that such membership was drawn from the same geo-political zone which are not represented in the commission.
According to him “that is the composition of the NDDC board. As I speak today, two or three states are not represented on this board and this board has been inaugurated and has been functioning."
Responding, Saraki stated that the remaining members of the Board can only be screened if the Senate's embargo on confirmation of nominees is lifted or if the screening process had commenced before the resolution was reached.
"I am happy that you made reference to the fact that we all here at the Senate passed a resolution on this matter. The issue you just raised, we will look at it to see if the exercise itself started before the resolution. I know this resolution, we took it in March – I could remember it was towards the end of March last year.
So, the secretariat should check the records. If it had started before, we will look into it; but if it started after, unless that resolution is rescinded, we are all bound by that resolution.”
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