According to Channels TV, the Senate has thrown out the list of Ambassadorial nominees which was brought to them by President Buhari for approval. The lawmakers suspended the screening of the 47 nominees following what they called abnormalities. The Senate made the decision after a motion was raised by Senator Joshua Dariye, who said the names of some qualified diplomats from his constituency were omitted. Punch also reports that the Chief Whip, Olusola Adeyeye said:
“The two of them are in fact, already on level 17 and in making the recommendations many who are junior to them in experience and in status have been elevated above them. They therefore want some intervention from the chamber to be sure that correct process is followed.
“They also said that there are those who have served the republic meritoriously who did not get passed because of whatever might be the internal politics of the ministry.”
The lawmaker also said:
“So, I plead that relevant committee and this chamber would take a second look at this prayer. We should direct that the minister for foreign affairs, and the SGF to appear before the committee on foreign affairs to explain the omissions and irregularities and the processes by which some of these names came about.”
Following Adeyeye’s plea, the Senate agreed to summon the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geofrey Onyeama to appear before it to explain the discrepancies in the nominations.