The Senate on Tuesday confirmed 37 nominees from the 38 presented by President Muhammadu Buhari as Chairman and members of the Federal Character Commission, but not without rancour over the chairmanship and secretary positions.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Senate confirmed Muheeba Dankaka from Kwara State as Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, sequel to the presentation of the report of the Committee on Federal Character and Inter -Governmental Affairs and consideration of the report at the Senate Committee of the Whole.
Following the report by Senator La’ah Danjuma Tella of the Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs on the confirmation of the nominations, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe stood up to make clarification on a memo he sent to the committee.
Senator Abaribe in his presentation argued that the Chairman and Secretary the Federal Character Commission should not come from the north, stressing that in the past, once the Chairman comes from the North, the Secretary will come from the South and vice versa because both are principal positions in the Commission.
However, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege countered this position saying the issue raised by the Minority Leader, in his believe, is an infringement on the powers of the President to make appointment.
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege stressed that the tenure of the Secretary who is from the North will be expiring in a few months and as such, to balance the issue, the President should be urged to make the replacement a Southerner to balance the Chairman coming from the North.
Meanwhile, on the recommendation of the Committee that the Senate do wait for the death certificate of the nominee from Kwara who died after making the screening be requested before any action is taken, Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan said the replacement from Kwara State has been received and read this morning.
The Senate then dissolved into the Committee of the Whole for the consideration of the report of the Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs on the Confirmation of the Nominations for Appointment as Chairman and Members of the Federal Character Commission.
Members confirmed to serve in the Federal Character Commission are Henry Ogbulogo, Abia; Salihu Bello, Adamawa; Obonganwan Deborah Daniel Ebony, Akwa-Ibom; Ibeabuchi Uche, Anambra; Mohammed Tijjani, Bauchi; Tonye Okio, Bayelsa; Silas Mfa Macikpah, Benue; Abba Ali Monguno, Borno; Nsor Atamgba, Cross River; and Alims Agoda.
Others are Tobias Chukuemeka, Ebonyi; Imuetinyan Festus, Edo; Sesan Fatoba; Ginika Florence Tor, Enugu; Hamza Mohammed, Gombe; Diogu Uche, Imo; Lawan Ya’u Roni, Jigawa; Hadiza Usman Muazu, Kaduna; Mohammed Awwal Na’iya, Kano; Lawal Garba, Katsina; Abubakar Atiku Bunu, Kebbi; Idris Eneye Bello, Kogi; Are Miftah Bolaji, Lagos; Nasir Isa Kwarra, Nasarawa; and Suleiman Barau, Niger.
Also appointed are Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, Ogun; Olufemi Omosanya, Ondo; Adeoye Abdularazaq Olalekan, Osun; Adeniyi Olowofela, Oyo; Stephen Jings, Plateau; Wokocha Augustine, Rivers; Abdullahi Taminu Tafida, Sokoto; Alhaji Armaya’u Dauda Abubakar, Taraba; Jibril Maigari, Yobe; Sani Garba, Zamfara; and Adamu Mohammed Sidi-Ali, Federal Capital Territory among others.
All nominees in the Federal Character Commission were confirmed, except for Daniel James Kolo from Kwara State (the deceased).
TNG reports the Senate similarly approved the nominations of Dr Fredrick Ekwem, representing Imo and Abia and Dr Jonah Madugu, representing Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau as Commissioners of Federal Civil Commission.