PDP senators reject confirmation proceedings for Amaechi, others

Aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the Senate on Tuesday continued their protest against the confirmation of a former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as they mobilised themselves against the last process to validate the exercise at plenary.

A mild drama ensued in the red chamber when the PDP senators refused to support the approval of votes and proceedings of last week Thursday.

The opposition senators had walked out of the chamber on Thursday, when members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, despite protests by their opposition colleagues, went ahead with the confirmation of Amaechi.

The PDP senators opposed the confirmation of Amaechi because they claimed that the panel report, based on a petition against him, was haphazardly treated by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in order to satisfy his political party.

Amaechi, according to the petition, was accused of mismanagement of the state’s resources when he was at the helm of affairs as governor.

The development informed the investigation of the petitioners’ allegations on the basis of which the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, invariably recommended that the Senate should not confirm him since the matter was still pending in court.

The ruling party nevertheless confirmed Amaechi to demonstrate that in a democracy, the minority would always have their say while the majority would have their way. This left the PDP lawmakers helplessly aggrieved.

The opposition senators, having lost the fight last week, therefore, resisted the last process of approving the confirmation for an onward transmission to Buhari.

Trouble started at the resumption of the plenary when Saraki asked Senator Isiaka Adeleke (APC, Osun West), to move the motion for the adoption of votes and proceedings of the Senate of October 29 (Thursday).

He thereafter called on Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP, Delta North), to second Adeleke’s motion, in line with parliamentary practice.

Nwaoboshi declined to perform the legislative function as directed by the President of the Senate.

Explaining why he would not second the motion, Nwaoboshi said, “My President, I will not be able to second the motion because I was not at the plenary to know what was done.”

Saraki consequently called on Senator Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto East), to second the motion. He did this promptly, as it was obvious that no PDP senator would carry out the function. -Punch.