By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
Following intense controversies arising from Senate’s confirmation of one of the ministerial nominees, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, last week, Senate President David Mark yesterday insisted that the decision of the upper chamber was in compliance with its legislative practices and procedures.
A statement issued yesterday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said the clamour for Obanikoro’s disqualification by lawmakers belonging to the opposition was misplaced.
The statement said: “The attention of the office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to the needless controversies concerning the screening of ministerial nominees on the floor of the Senate with particular reference to the confirmation of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
“We will like to state without any form of ambiguity that the President of the Senate complied with all the legislative practices and procedures in the confirmation of all the ministerial nominees that appeared before the Senate.
“It is strange that those who hold contrary views have laid claims to the tradition of the Senate that where three Senators are opposed to a nominee, such a nominee are automatically disqualified and cannot be confirmed by the Senate. This is misplaced.”
According to the statement, “there exists a tradition of permitting nominees that had served as Senators or member of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic to take a bow and go without being questioned.”
Citing Rules 53 (5) of the Senate Standing Rules which states, “if in the opinion of the President of the Senate, the matter will be subjudiced,” Mark made it clear that he had not been served any court order neither had he received any injunction restraining him from processing the confirmation of the ministerial nominees.