The Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu has explained that Senate President Godswill Akpabio left for the Presidential Villa during the screening of ministerial nominee, Barrister Festus Keyamo on Monday in order to attend a scheduled security meeting on the Niger Republic crisis.
Adaramodu, who spoke on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday morning, explained: “The (Senate) President stood up yesterday to go to the Villa, not because of Festus Keyamo or any screening. There had been a prior invitation of the Senate President and the leadership of the Senate to the Villa based on the security situation, especially the coup d’etat in Niger Republic”.
It was reported that the Senate President had rushed to the Villa after a heated plenary session over the motion to suspend the screening of Keyamo.
The motion was initiated by Senate Minority Whip, Senator Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia Central), who accused Keyamo of disrespecting the ninth National Assembly, and levelling allegations of corruption against the previous administration.
The deliberations resulted in a rowdy session after which Akpabio called for an executive session.
A few minutes later, the Senate President was spotted at the Villa.
Adaramodu said: “There had been a meeting scheduled for 2:30 pm yesterday (Monday), but during the screening, we had already eaten into the time that the Senate President should have gone there. It was a security meeting. By the time he left around 3 pm to 3:30 pm, he could not come back until around 4 pm, but some people mistook it that he was summoned to the villa because of Festus Keyamo.
“Keyamo was just one out of 48 nominees that were screened, so one person cannot generate such a concern for the villa to be inviting the Senate (leadership) to the Villa”.
On whether the three nominees would still be confirmed, the Senator said: “The questions raised about them is an ongoing issue, so once the Senate is satisfied, if we need to invite them to the chamber for reconfirmation and screening, we will do that”.
On if the Senate would be satisfied to clear the nominees even if security (agencies) were not satisfied, Adaramodu said: “If the security agencies are not satisfied, Senate cannot be satisfied. So, it depends on what security and the person that nominated them says”.
