The Senate on Wednesday summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geofrey Onyeama, over the lopsided list of 47 career diplomats sent to the red chamber about two weeks ago.
They alleged that some states were excluded from the list whereas some states had up to three nominees.
Overlooked diplomats
Unusual number of petitions
Apart from this, the senators also explained that there were specific petitions against some nominees, who were said to have been picked ahead of their senior colleagues from their states of origin.
The Chief Whip, Olusola Adeyeye, cited the case of two directors on level 17, from the same state who were dropped for a junior officer.
He said, “The two of them are in fact, already on level 17 and in making the recommendations many who are junior to them in experience and in status have been elevated above them. They therefore want some intervention from the chamber to be sure that correct process is followed.
In his ruling after the voice vote had approved the invitation of Lawal and Onyeama, Saraki said that a number of senators, prior to the decision, had raised observation.
He said, “I have received a lot of petitions in my office on this same matter. We must ensure that the process is transparent especially since they are going to be ambassadors and the number of petitions we have received this time is a bit more than usual.
“It is important that the foreign affairs committee quickly invite the minister and secretary to the government of the federation so that they can explain the processes of how some of these names came about.
“We need to do this before they even begin to consider the nomination for screening.” He, therefore, referred the matter to the foreign affairs committee and gave them one week to be able to come with a report on it.”
All credits: PUNCH
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