MINISTERIAL SCREENING: Senators fume, as Lawan asks Amaechi to take ‘a bow’

Nigerian senators on Wednesday fumed at perceived patiality of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, during the screening of ministerial nominees.

This happened when the former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, came up to be screened and Lawan asked him to “take a bow’ and leave.

The Senate only accorded that privilege to former senators, and in some occasions former House of Representatives Members.

Confused over the action of the Senate President, Senator Danjuma Goje kicked and was later supported by other lawmakers.

Raising a point of order against the decision Goje said, “Our order does not remember members of the House of Assembly.

“The orders of the Senate does not do so; so I don’t know whether we are changing these rules.”

READ ALSO : MINISTERIAL SCREENING: Akpabio, Akume, 5 others enjoy ‘take a bow’ privilege, escape questions

After other senators made remarks on the decision, Lawan then told Amaechi that he has the option to respond or not.

Amaechi, also a former Rivers State governor, chose the option not to respond and left.

There have been speculations that Lawan would be a rubber-stamp Senate leader and would do the biddings of President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, he has always told Nigerians that in as much as he would ensure the legislature works in harmony with the executive, he would never be a rubber stamp Senate President.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now