Senate Confirms Amaechi, PDP Kicks

The leadership of the senate on Thursday confirmed former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaech as minister of the government of the federation after long hour of closed door session that last for hours.

However, the report of the ethics, privileges and public petitions during an investigation of allegations of frauda against the former governor recommended that the senate should not confirm Ameachi as Minister. According to the Chairman of the committee, said the allegation against the former governor is still being challenged in court and the senate could not act on a case that was in court.

In a swift reaction, the senate leader(APC) challenged the ethics committee recommendation report saying that it should not interfere with confirmation of the nominee since he had not been pronounced guilty. He moved a motion that the senate proceed with the confirmation of the former governor

But it was clear the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators‎ will reject the motion. Speaking, George Sekibo (PDP Rivers east), who brought the petition against Amaechi‎ before the senate, argued that there was a moral burden on the upper legislative chamber not to confirm Amaechi on the grounds that there were allegations of corruption against him. He said if the senate goes ahead to confirm a corrupt person, history will judge the upper chamber as encouraging corruption

‎APC senators further remained adamant and pushed their case further that the former governor be confirmed. In the heat of the argument , the PDP senators , led by their leader, Godswill Akpabio walked out of the chamber.

As a result the senate rejected the report of the committee on Amaechi after the PDP senators had walked out. Other ministerial nominees confirmed as ministers were Heineken Lokpobiri, Cladius Daramola, Adebayo Shittu, Shehuri Mustapha, Ocholi James, Adewole Folorunso, Bawa Bwari, Geoffrey Onyeama, Zainab Ahmed, Mansur Dan Ali, Usani Uguru, Okechukwu Enelamah, Anwuka Anthony, Musa Bello, Adamu Adamu, Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Aisha Abubakar. ‎

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