PDP Senators Sends Serious Warning To Saraki Over Ministerial Nominee, Amaechi

Senators belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and their All Progressives Congress, APC, were, yesterday, preparing for a showdown over different positions on the confirmation of two of 16 remaining ministerial nominees.


It was, however, learnt that Senate President Bukola Saraki was determined to weigh in on behalf of the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and the ministerial nominee from Cross River State, Usani Uguru. The duo had been caught up in a grudge war mounted by PDP senators.Amaechi-saraki

Amaechi is held in contempt by the PDP Senate caucus for his role in the defeat of the former ruling party in the last round of elections. Uguru brought himself into the bad book of the PDP Senate caucus when, during his screening, he said “God forbid” to a question as to his membership of the PDP.

Following the end of the screening of the nominees yesterday, the PDP Senate caucus held a meeting where they reportedly took a position against the confirmation of Amaechi. The senators were said to have resolved not to consider Amaechi’s nomination unless the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges on the petitions filed against the former Rivers State governor was brought forward for consideration first.

Five nominees were screened, yesterday, bringing to an end, the exercise that commenced about three weeks ago.

The five nominees screened were former Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University, Professor Anthony Anwuka (Imo); financial expert and medical doctor, Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia); newspaper columnist, Adamu Adamu (Bauchi); former Executive Secretary of National Hajj Commission, Mohammed Musa Bello (Adamawa), and Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto).

However, the confirmation exercise which was expected to commence

Read More

ICPC probes Fashola, Amaechi, Akpabio, Sule Lamido and others

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission has set up a task force to probe eight former governors.

According to PUNCH a top operative of the commission, who confided in our correspondent on Wednesday, said that the task force was set up following petitions written against the former governors.

It was learnt that top operatives of the commission working in the task force had been dispatched to the states to carry out the probe of the affected former governors.

A top operative of the commission said that the former governors were Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State; Chief Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Sullivan Chime of Enugu State.



The source said that the other four were on the waiting list.

The former governors on the waiting list, according to the source are, Mr. Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Godswiil Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State and Alhaji Sule Lamido of Jigawa State.

The source said that the ICPC was not considering political parties or association in its response to allegations of corruption made against the affected personalities in the petition.

The source said, “It is true that we are going after eight former governors. The investigation against four of the former governors of Rivers, Katsina, Kano and Enugu has commenced.

“However, the commission has listed four other former governors who are on the waiting list because of petitions against them. They are the immediate past governors of Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Jigawa States.




“A Special Task Force was set up by the Chairman of the commission last week to coordinate the investigation in the states. So we are reopening the petitions through the Chairman of the Special Task Force.”
The probe is coming on the heels of a recent move by the ICPC to move 47 crack detectives to the states and the zones to strengthen them in the fight against graft in the society.

The Resident Consultant, Media and Events, of the ICPC, Mr. Folu Olamiti, refused to comment on the story when contacted.

None of the ex-governors was available for comment on the probe.

Read More