Senate’s embargo on Buhari appointees remains, says Saraki

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has stated that the upper
chamber of the National Assembly has not lifted the embargo
on the confirmation of appointments made by President
Muhammadu Buhari.
Saraki had read a letter from the President seeking the
Senate’s approval for the 2017 budget estimates of the Niger
Delta Development Commission.
Lawmaker representing Imo North Senatorial District, Senator
Mao Ohuabunwa, however, raised a point of order to remind
the lawmakers that three states had no representation on the
board of the NDDC, which he blamed on the suspension of
confirmation of nominees.
Ohuabunwa pointed out that the NDDC Act clearly stated the
composition of the board to include representatives from Abia,
Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and
Rivers states, with three persons to represent non-oil
producing states provided that such membership was drawn
from the same geo-political zone which are not represented in
the commission.
He said other members included one representative of the oil-
producing firms in the Niger Delta nominated by the oil-
producing companies, one person to represent the Ministry of
Finance, one person to represent the Ministry of Environment,
the Managing Director of the commission and two executive
directors.
Ohuabunwa said, “That is the composition of the NDDC board.
As I speak today, two or three states are not represented on
this board and this board has been inaugurated and has been
functioning.
Responding, Saraki stated that the NDDC board appointments
could only be confirmed if the screening process started
before the resolution by the Senate.
He said, “I am happy that you made reference to the fact that
we all here at the Senate passed a resolution on this matter.
The issue you just raised, we will look at it to see if the
exercise itself started before the resolution. I know this
resolution, we took it in March – I could remember it was
towards the end of March last year.
“So, the secretariat should check the records. If it had started
before, we will look into it; but if it started after, unless that
resolution is rescinded, we are all bound by that resolution.”