The Senate on Wednesday confirmed 23 nominees with Chief Festus Odimegwu, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Breweries Plc becoming the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC).
The Senate, however, had a heated debate over the confirmation of Mrs Roli Bode-George as a member of the NPC following her nomination by the President.
The three Senators from Lagos State rejected Bode-George’s nomination on the ground that she was not an indigene of the state and also raised concerns over her competence to perform.
Sen. Maina Lawan, Chairman of the Committee on National Identity Card and the NPC said that the committee received a petition from the three senators kicking against Bode-George’s nomination.
Lawan said that in the petition, the senators held that she was not from Lagos State and attached a letter written by the Governor of Lagos State to the President, urging him to send the name of a certain nominee to the Senate.
According to him, the committee, after careful consideration, was satisfied that the nominee was from Lagos, based on her marriage to someone from Lagos.
He also said the committee decided to reject the nominee from Abia on the ground of ill health and requested the President to send a replacement.
Maina also brought to the notice of the Senate the objection of the two senators from Anambra in respect of the nominee from that state
He, however, said the committee decided to leave the decision of their confirmation to the Senate.
While considering the report in the Committee of the Whole House, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa (ACN-Lagos) read the letter written to the President by the governor urging him to consider another nominee.
Sen. Oluremi Tinubu (ACN-Lagos) stressed that the Senate had established a precedent whereby each time two or more senators rejected the nomination of a person, the entire Senate supported them.
Tinubu said they needed someone with credibility and competence to handle a job as sensitive as being a member of the NPC.
She appealed to the Senate to reject the nomination of Bode-George, adding that what was good for the goose was also good for the gander.
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu reminded his colleagues that it was only the President who had the constitutional mandate to nominate chairmen and members of commissions.
Sen. George Sekibo (PDP-Rivers) said the reasons adduced by senators from Lagos for rejecting the nominee were not strong enough for the Senate to support them.
Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi) also said that the nominee’s competence could not be determined since she had not served in such capacity before.
Senate President David Mark, however, ruled in favour of the senators who supported the nomination of Bode-George.
The nomination of Mr Nwakanma Chimaobi from Abia was, however, rejected based on the fact that he needed more medical attention than an appointment.
Briefing newsmen after the plenary session, two senators from Lagos State, Tinubu and Ashafa, insisted that the entire people of the state rejected the nomination of Bode-George.
“We are not pleased with the outcome of the ruling but they’ve given it to Roli. Let us see how it goes. ’’
Earlier, the Senate President read a letter from the President asking the Senate to confirm the nomination of Mr Bem Angwe as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission.