Senate May Drop Some Of The Newly Appointed Ministers

Confirmation of the 12 ministerial nominees sent to the Senate by President Goodluck Jonathan raged on Thursday, just as indications emerged that no fewer than six of the nominees are faced with rejection on the floor.

Sources in the National Assembly confirmed that the Senate had reinvented its convention where, at least, two of the three senators from a state must support the nomination of a candidate before it could be considered on the floor.

It was also gathered that some of the governors were equally mounting pressures on the senators to raise opposition against some of the nominees.

It was gathered that when some governors favourably disposed to other nominees called to oppose the plan by senators to reject them, the lawmakers insisted that precedents had been set when Senator Smart Adeyemi stalled the confirmation of two ministerial nominees from the state, on the basis of the violation of federal character.

But the battle appears to be raging from different fronts, following another campaign being mounted by some senators canvassing outright rejection of the ministerial list, on account of retention of some ministers considered to be controversial in the cabinet of President Jonathan.

It was learnt that a group of senators were lobbying their colleagues to completely reject the ministerial list, based on the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to drop some ministers described as controversial.

A source said at least six of the ministerial nominees could be dropped when the screening commences on Tuesday.

It was gathered that the nominees were spread across the South-West, South-South and North-Central.

“At least two senators from each of the states with the affected nominees have indicated their readiness to reject the names when presented on the floor,” a source said.

The source further stated that the lawmakers started holding series of consultations immediately the names were unveiled.

It was gathered that three of the senators from a South-West state had ganged up against one of the nominees, while another two also ganged up against a nominee from one other state.

It was learnt that the leadership of the Senate was already intimated on the need to revive the convention that indicated that at least two senators must approve a nomination.

A source stated that since the nominees were representing their states, it presupposed that senators from the states must have a say in the appointment.

Another source, however, stated that there could be more trouble for the nominees as a result of the campaign being mounted by some senators that the entire list be rejected, because the president was still keeping some controversial ministers in the cabinet.

“A campaign is ongoing that the president should use the opportunity to clear his cabinet of all controversial ministers. A number of the ministers are not just failing to deliver, but they have also become controversial,” a senator said.