Submit Ministerial List To EFCC, Buhari Promotes Corruption – PDP Tells Senate

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday urged the Senate to further give credibility to its ministerial screening by sending the names of the nominees to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The party said the screening exercise must have enabled the Senate to further confirm that many of the nominees presented to it by President Muhammadu Buhari include individuals, who as former governors and ministers, wrecked their states and ministries and have serious allegations of corruption, abuse of office and stealing of public funds hanging on their necks.

In a statement by the party’s spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said the nomination of persons with corruption badges to serve in the federal cabinet has shown that the president does not only condone but also explicitly promote corruption, “which has escalated into a state art since he assumed office in 2015”.

This is particularly as President Buhari had asserted that he would only nominate persons he knows “personally”.

“It, therefore, speaks volumes that the persons Mr. President “personally” knows and has nominated as ministers include such individuals that have been publicly indicted and known to be answering questions as accomplices in on-going corruption cases in various courts.

“The PDP calls on the Senate to note that some of the nominees have failed to defend their corruption allegations. This includes a particular former minister from the North Central, who had admitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC) of complicity in the N2.5 billion National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fraud case, still pending in court.

“This is in addition to certain nominees who, as state governors, swindled their states, fleeced workers and committed several financial crimes for which they should rather be standing trial, instead of being rewarded with official protection as ministers.

“Our party notes that the gathering of corrupt persons as cabinet ministers is a clear pointer to a scheme by the cabal in the Presidency to further entrench corruption in our nation,” Mr Olognobdiyan said.

Urging the Senate to take a cursory look into the allegations of bribe-for-ministerial-slot, making the rounds in the public space, the PDP said the Senate must rise to the occasion and ensure that Nigerians are not totally let down.

“The PDP also invites the Senate to note that President Buhari has not demonstrated any commitment to the fight against corruption and for that reason, Nigerians now look up to the National Assembly to protect the nation from the excesses of the Buhari Presidency.

“The repositioned PDP has demonstrated this determination in our nominations for leadership positions in our party at all levels.

“The Senate is therefore urged to stand with the people in resisting the manipulations of the Buhari Presidency to ensure that only persons with clean records are cleared as ministers,” he added.

Senate’s Ministerial Screening Is A Beautiful Nonsense – Dino Melaye

Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, says the non-submission of portfolios with the list of ministerial nominees has made the screening “beautiful nonsense”.

Speaking when he appeared on Channels TV, Melaye said Nigerians are unhappy with the ongoing screening at the senate.

The senate has been widely criticized for asking many nominees to “take a bow and go” rather than grill them ahead of their inauguration.

Melaye said the current approach by the senate has turned the exercise into “more of adoption than a screening”.

“I will tell you categorically that Nigerians are not happy especially with the way the proceedings of the screening have been conducted and I can tell you this without fear or favor,” he said.

“But I want to say that we are talking to ourselves in the senate and as the days go by, it will get better…

I do not have powers to nominate ministers but the reason why we have this problem is because the president did not yield to the request of some of us from the national assembly to submit the names of his ministers with their portfolios, so we are actually shooting from the dark.

“It would be better if the president was submitting the names of the ministers with their portfolios so that we know their area of competence and we can ask them questions within the jurisdiction where they are going to serve.

“But if a man is going to be a minister of labor and productivity and you are asking him questions that have to do with health or law reforms, then automatically, that exercise is beautiful nonsense.

“I want to advise and I still instill that for the betterment of service to the country, and for us to have quality screening, the president should submit the names of the ministers with portfolios then we can now properly screen them.

“My advice to the senate is that we should screen these ministers in committees so this will not delay other activities of plenary. Going forward, that should be the approach.

But for this approach of everyone coming and three to four people asking questions and the sentiment of bow and go, and some senators trying to play to the gallery or trying to show support is very not fruitful.”

IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu Establishes Biafra Aid Foundation In US

Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Monday announced the establishment of Biafra Aid Foundation in the United States of America.

Mazi Kanu in a statement he personally signed but made available by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the establishment of the foundation is in fulfillment of the promise he made during his recent tour of the United States of America.

He said the foundation will enable IPOB to fast-track the restoration of Biafra and stem the tide of Fulani terror invasion of Biafra land.

“During my recently concluded tour of the United States, I promised to set up a US-based charitable organization to enable us fast-track the restoration of Biafra and stem the tide of Fulani terror invasion of our land.

“I am pleased to announce the establishment of the Biafra Aid Foundation in the United States of America which I made public during last night’s special broadcast.

“As part of this process, a grassroots fundraising initiative was agreed. The official IPOB backed Biafra Aid Foundation bank account number is now available to enable Biafrans domiciled in the USA

and lovers of freedom from all over the world to contribute just $1 charitable donation every blessed month until Biafra sovereignty is fully restored and Fulani terrorism completely eradicated from all territories of the south.”