Seven members of the All Progressives Congress in the Senate on Monday dared the leadership of their party by participating in the screening of the Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs recently appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The APC had last week directed its members in the National Assembly to block the passage of all legislative bills, including the 2014 budget, and the screening of ministerial nominees as well as the CDS and the new service chiefs.
But Senators Akin Odunsi, Kabiru Marafa, Sani Saleh, Atai Aidoko, Babafemi Ojudu, Jubrilla Bindo, and Ajayi Boroffice, were among other senators who participated actively in the joint committees of Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force to screen the new military chiefs in Abuja.
The Chairman of the joint committee, Senator George Sekibo, observed that the screening was the first to be carried out by the Senate since the return of Nigeria to civil rule.
He said such had not been done despite the fact that Sections 217 to 219 of the 1999 Constitution as amended made provision for it.
Sekibo also said past administrations in the country had not been sending the names of service chiefs for confirmation despite the fact that the National Assembly enacted the Armed Forces Act 2004.
This Act makes it mandatory for federal lawmakers to confirm the appointment of service chiefs.
Sekibo said, “The screening exercise today(Monday) therefore is in fulfillment of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Armed Forces Act 2004 (Cap A.20 ). This exercise we are performing will satisfy the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Act and completely put our Armed Forces under our democratic norms.”
Sekibo noted that Nigeria was currently undergoing some major security challenges including the Boko Haram insurgency in the North- East, oil theft and pipeline vandalisation in the South-South and kidnapping in the South-East.
Sekibo added that the committee members would screen the competence of the military officers in strategic military operations.
The screening which lasted several hours, was done behind closed doors. The joint committee has one week to submit its report.
When contacted, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party’s directive to its members was not for them to boycott the screening of President Jonathan’s appointees.
He said “People don’t seem to understand our directive it is not for them to boycott but to frustrate the process if the right things are not done. If they don’t attend how will our voice be heard?” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Alhaji Lai, please Nigeria needs more honest people. Not people who speak from every side of their mouth.
ReplyDeleteYou and your leaders are bent on frustrating the good efforts of the present administration.
What you all failed to understand is that God owns the YAM and he slices it to share to whom so ever he wishes.
Truncating this democracy will not do any of you guys any good.