By Taiye Odewale Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday re-nominated and presented Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor (Imo) to the Senate for confi rmation as noncareer ambassadorial nominee. Th e president also presented names of Joseph Olusola Iji (Ondo) and Commodore Yusuf Jonga Hinna (retd) (Gombe) for replacement for non-ambassadorial position. Th e Senate had, on March 23, 2017, rejected the nomination of Justice Nsofor and based on age and Mr. Jacob Igbekele Daodu, from Ondo state, on security report, respectively, while approving the confi rmation of 45 diplomats.
According to the Red Chamber, the aff ected nominees, were rejected, based on the report of the Committee on Foreign Aff airs are 82-year-old Justice Sylvanus Nsofor from Imo state and Mr. Jacob Igbekele Daodu from Ondo state, respectively. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu (APC, Oyo Central), which screened the nominees, had in her report at the plenary that was adopted by the lawmakers observed that Justice Nsofor looked frail and tired while his responses to the issues raised during screening were either not answered or devoid of details and mostly satirical.
She added that Daodu didn’t in any way respond to issues raised at the screening with satisfactory answers aside alleged negative security report against him by the Department of State Services, DSS. Similarly, the president also forward to the Senate for confi rmation list of Non-Executive Directors of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Th e nominees are Prof Ummu Ahmed Jalingo (North East), Prof Justitia Odinakachukwu Nnabuko (South East), Prof. Mike Obadan (South South), Dr. Abdu Abubakar (North West), Adeola Adetunji (South West).
Th e president’s message was conveyed through a letter to the President of the Senate, dated April 11, 2017, addressed to the President of the Senate. Buhari urged the Senate to expedite action on the screening and consideration of the two sets of nominees.
