Senate draws battle line with Presidency over Magu

The Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, has seemingly drawn a battle line with the Presidency over the jurisdiction of the National Assembly in federal appointments by the executive.

National Daily gathered that many senators at the Tuesday plenary session were demanding immediate suspension of the screening and confirmation of nominees for appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari in protest of a comment attributed to the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, that executive appointments did not require legislative approval based on Section 171 of the Constitution.

The lawmakers in the upper Chamber of the national Assembly rose in protest when the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, began to read a letter from Osinbajo at the plenary requesting the Senate to confirm the nomination of Mr. Lanra Gbajabiamila as Chairman of the National Lottery Commission.

The controversial statement was a fallout of the crisis over the rejection of the nomination for confirmation by the Senate as Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Accordingly, the senators overarching decided to suspend proceedings on screening and confirmation of nominees for appointments by the executive until the legislative powers of the lawmakers or the independence of the legislature is respected by the Presidency.

The senators also threatened to turn against the leadership of the Senate if their protests are ignored and necessary action is not taken against the executive within 48 hours. They also requested that invitation from the EFCC of any legislator be, henceforth, ignored.