PDP Senators Meet Over Amaechi, Others’ Confirmation

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators held a crucial secret meeting on Wednesday to take a position on the confirmation of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and 17 others as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The confirmation of 18 outstanding ministerial nominees including Amaechi has been slated for Thursday.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, deferred confirmation of the nominees after the Senate screened five more nominees on Wednesday.

Those screened on Wednesday included Mr. Okechukwu Eyinna Enelamah (Abia), Prof. Anthony Anwukah (Imo), Mohammed Musa Bello (Adamawa), Adamu Adamu(Bauchi) and Ms. Aisha Bello (Sokoto).

The PDP Senators launched into the closed door meeting at Senate Hearing Room 1, immediately after Saraki adjourned plenary.

Insiders said the meeting was specifically to enable the opposition lawmakers take position on some of the nominees.
A competent source who attended the meeting said “you know we have just concluded the screening of the remaining nominees. We need to meet to ask some critical questions on some of the nominees. We need to take collective decision as a caucus.

“Some of the nominees impressed, others did not. Some of them are controversial, others are not. We need to resolve and agree on our voting pattern. We are a caucus and we should be seen to vote as a block. It is normal in every political arrangement.”

Asked whether Amaechi’s issue came up following the opposition of PDP Senators to the former governor’s screening, he noted that “nothing was foreclosed.”

All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators on the other hand are said to be determined to ensure that all the nominees scaled through the confirmation hurdle.

Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, had consistently said the Senate belongs to APC as the majority party in the chamber.
He also said the minority would be allowed its say while the majority would have its way.

Ndume assured that PDP Senators cannot stop the confirmation of any nominee.
Another PDP Senator also at the meeting said that “Amaechi will be cleared just like other nominees.”
He noted that though there are some who still harboured hard feelings against Amaechi, “the consensus is that we should allow him to go.”



Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/pdp-senators-meet-over-amaechi-others-confirmation/