Ministerial Screening: Drama As Senators tackle Keyamo, Drops El-Rufai,others
Post created on August 8, 2023
There was drama at the National Assembly on Monday during the screening of the ministerial nominees listed by President Bola Tinubu as former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai; the former deputy governor of Taraba State, Sani Abubakar Danladi, and Stella Okotete from Delta State were dropped from the approved list.
This was disclosed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the end of yesterday’s session, that the three persons were awaiting security clearance.
This came after the end of the tussle that ensued between the Senate members and former Minster of Labour and Employment, Fetus Keyamo after a brief introduction by the Senate President.
Keyamo’s screening became turbulence when the majority of the senator rejected his nomination after Darlington Nwokocha the Deputy Minority Leader raised an eyebrow concerning the former Minister’s behaviour.
According to Sen. Nwokocha, then seconded by when Senator Usman Jibrin, Keyamo disregarded the constitutional power of the National Assembly on investigation and also refused to honour their invitations
Nwokocha thereafter moved a motion requesting the Senate to stand down the nominee’s screening but Senate President, Akpabio, said the motion was not seconded which brought an uproar from senators, as hands began to fly to second Nwokocha’s motion.
Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe, the former minority leader, seconded the motion stressing that an inquiry should be conducted over the alleged misconduct of Keyamo.
However, Akpabio did not hit the gavel and this caused a great uproar with senators shouting at him to announce his ruling and hit the gavel when asked if Keyamo should step down.
Minutes after trying to pacify the House, Akpabio left and met with President Tinubu to seek intervention on what was happening on the floor.
Keyamo’s apologies were later accepted by the House, and Akpabio asked him to take a bow and go.
