Most of the 31 ministerial nominees already screened by the Senate who failed to attach photocopies of the asset declaration certificates to their Curriculum Vitae (CV) have perfected plans to turn in those vital documents by today.
Some of the nominees had met with their state caucuses at the Senate where they made commitment that the asset declaration certificates would be made available to the upper chamber before the end of today’s screening.
It was also learnt at the weekend how some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) frustrated efforts by some governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to recommend candidates to President Muhammadu Buhari that could be appointed as ministers.
Sources said among the ministerial nominees affected by the Senate order that would-be ministers should produce their asset declaration certificates were former governors, ex-senators, former ministers and former deputy governors and House of Representatives members.
The sources said that the leadership of the Senate after the screening last Friday, had impressed it upon the state caucuses on the need to ensure that their respective state nominees send in copies of their asset declaration forms by today.
A senator disclosed that the issue of the asset declaration forms might be played up by some senators at the point of confirming those nominees already screened by the Senate tomorrow.
This, he said, informed why the leadership of the Senate directed that all nominees should turn in their asset forms by today.
It was gathered that the remaining 12 out of the 43 ministerial nominees sent to the Senate for confirmation last Tuesday that would be screened today and tomorrow were expected to have attached their asset declaration certificates as a condition for their screening.
Senator Lawrence Ewrudjiakpo (Bayelsa East) at last Friday’s screening of some of the ministerial nominees had raised Order 121 of the Senate Rules to complain that most, if not all the nominees, had failed to attach their asset declaration forms to their CV.
Order 121 of Senate Rules provides that “the Senate shall not consider the nomination of any person who has occupied any office contained in Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the constitution prior to his nomination unless there is written evidence that he has declared his assets and liabilities as required by Section 13 of Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Such declaration shall be required for scrutiny.”
The screening of the nominees continues today as nine of them, including former Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Dr. Muhammad Mahmoud (Kaduna); former Senator Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara); former Governor of Osun State, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Goddy Jedy-Agba (Cross River) take their turns.
Others to be screened are Sulaiman Adamu (Jigawa); Clement Agba (Edo), Maryam Katagum ( Bauchi) and former Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama.
The three nominees for screening tomorrow are Sabo Nanono, former Information Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Kwara) and Saleh Mamman ( Taraba).
Source: THISDAY
