The Senate on Wednesday directed Secretary to Government of the
Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, to appear before its Committee on
Foreign Affairs over omissions and irregularities in ambassadorial
nomination.
Also summoned with the SGF on the issue is Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama.
This directive followed a Point of Order raised by Sen. Joshua Dariye
(PDP-Plateau Central) at plenary which began after a two-hour
close-door session.
The lawmakers said that the SGF and the minister would explain the
processes that led to selection of nominees before screening of the
nominees would commence.
Referring to Order 42 and Order 52, Dariye said that he received
complaints about irregularities in the selection of ambassadorial
nominees from Plateau and other states.
He said, “given the important role played by ambassadors, due
diligence must be given and there should be criteria to nominate
qualified Nigerians.
“My request is to invite the minister of foreign affairs and SGF to
appear before the committee on foreign affairs to explain this obvious
omission and irregularities.’’
Seconding the order, Sen. Olusola Adeyeye (APC-Osun Central) called
for the intervention of the Senate in view of numerous petitions with
regard to the matter.
He said that there was a need to ensure that the right processes were
followed in the selection of the nominees.
“I have been approached by three different people, including one from
my state, with the grievance that there were irregularities in the way
the names emerged.
“I cannot ascertain that except to say that in the case of two of
these people, they are the most qualified from their own states and
have been by-passed in this nomination.
“Their own case is that there is nothing in their service record to
show that they have not been superb in the discharge of their duties.
“ Two of them are already on level 17 and in making the
recommendations, many, who are junior to them in experience and in
status have been elevated above them,’’ he said.
Supporting the point of order, Sen. Sunny Ugboji (PDP-Ebonyi)
expressed concern that his state was not represented in the
nomination.
According to him, we need to invite the minister of foreign affairs
and the SGF to explain the modalities used because people even wrote
petition to the National Assembly over this issue.
Vice Chairman of the Committee on Foreign affairs, Sen. Shehu Sani,
said that the committee had already begun investigation into the
matter.
He urged all aggrieved persons to forward their petitions to the committee.
“We have received series of complaints from different states on how
skewed the list is.
“The complaints are so much that the credibility of the list is put to
question. We are working on those complaints,’’ he said.
In his contribution, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP-Taraba South) said that
there were laid down procedures for nominating career ambassadors.
He said, “what generates our concern is that the list is for career
ambassadors and not political ambassadors.
“I am in agreement with the issue raised and it should be treated
holistically.’’
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that
he had equally received petitions from lawmakers and other Nigerians
on the omissions in the list.
He called on the committee on foreign affairs to expedite action on
the petitions, saying that screening would be suspended pending the
outcome of the investigation.
“A number of senators have raised this observation and I have received
a lot of petitions on this matter.
“If we say they are career officers we must ensure that the process is
transparent, especially as they are going to be ambassadors.
“It is important for the foreign affairs committee to invite the
minister and the SGF so that they can explain the processes that led
to these names before we begin to consider the nominations,’’ he said.
The order was subsequently unanimously adopted by the lawmakers and
the committee was directed to report back to the senate in one week.
(NAN)
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