It was an anti-climax. Sparks did not
fly at the Senate yesterday when former Rivers State Governor Rotimi
Chibuike Amaechi appeared for screening as a minister.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators opposed to his nomination did not take him up at the session.
Amaechi only fielded questions from All Progressives Congress (APC) senators.
Minority Leader, Senator Godswill
Akpabio, said PDP senators and the party’s Senate caucus would not ask
Amaechi questions “because we have just received Senator Samuel
Anyanwu’s report on the petition on corruption against Amaechi”.
His remark paved the way for Amaechi’s screening, but the exercise was not without drama.
Amaechi, the first to be screened, in
his introductory remark, recognised the Senate leadership; Senator
George Thompson Sekibo, who presented the petition against him and
Senator Olaka Nwogu, who served as his Commissioner of Finance when he
was governor.
The Senate erupted in laughter when he recognised them.
Fielding questions from the APC
senators, Amaechi said he had never received bribe in his life, claiming
that his confirmation as a minister would be a credit to the Buhari
administration.
He said he fought to ensure the defeat
of former President Goodluck Jonathan because he felt that Jonathan was
not suitable for the country.
The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) was
formed to check executive recklessness on use of funds belonging to the
three tiers of government, he said.
Former Plateau State Governor Jonah
Jang, who is now a senator, walked out at this stage. Jang contested for
the NGF chair with Amaechi in 2013.
Amechi scored 19 votes and Jang, 16, but former President Jonathan chose to recognise Jang as the forum’s leader.
On the formation of Governors Forum he
said: “I don’t know what I will say that will annoy my political
opponents on the side of the PDP. In the spirit of peace, I will like to
answer questions that are very peaceful.”
Amaechi, clad in Niger Delta regalia, said he was so dressed because he “came in peace”
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