President Bola Tinubu’s nominees for ambassadorial appointments had an easy ride at the Senate, yesterday, as most of them were asked to “take a bow and go.”
Former senators, House of Representatives members, former governors and ministers, career ambassadors, and former first ladies, among others were asked to take a bow and go by the Senate, as the screening of the ambassadorial nominees submitted to the Senate by President Tinubu entered the third day.
After an initial hitch that saw many, including senators, ambassadorial nominees and journalists scrambling for a space in the tightly packed hearing room 221, the screening exercise finally began at a new venue.
In rapid dispatch, the Senate screening committee attended to the ambassadorial nominees, granting Senator Ita Enang and all other former National Assembly members the privilege of “take a bow and go.”
After brief introductions, former governor, ministers, ambassadors and lawmakers were not asked any question, as they were asked to “take a bow and leave,” in line with Senate tradition, citing their earlier clearance by the Senate and extensive public service experience.
Those cleared without any question include former governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.
All former first ladies and former ambassadors were not left out in the “offer” from the Senate as the list of nominees still waiting to be screened gradually narrowed down to former Presidential aide, Reno Omokri and four career ambassadors with all eyes on Omokri.
The Senator Sani Bello, APC, Niger North-led Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, yesterday screened former ministers, Femi Fani-Kayode and Abdulrahman Dambazau, for ambassadorial appointments.
Both nominees, who previously served as Minister of Aviation and Interior, respectively, had earlier undergone full Senate screening during their ministerial confirmations in past administrations as they both enjoyed the privilege of take “a bow and go.”
Among those expressly cleared were immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud; Senator Enang, Reno Omokri; Senator Grace Bent and Senator Nora Daduut.
Others were Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, retd;, Erelu Angela Adebayo (Ekiti), Florence Ajimobi (Oyo) and Mrs. Chioma Ohakim.
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, defended the continued use of the “take a bow and go” procedure for certain nominees, saying it was reserved for individuals with established and verifiable records of public service.
Speaking during the screening session for non career ambassadorial nominees, Senator Bamidele explained that nominees who had previously served as members of the National Assembly automatically benefit from the tradition because their legislative history and public track record are already well known to lawmakers.
Drama over Omokri
During the screening, there was, however, a mild drama as two members of the Committee, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North; and Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South, squared up over Omokri.
Drama ensued between them when it was the turn of former Presidential Aide, Omokri to be screened.
Omokri had barely finished introducing himself when Ndume and Oshiomhole engaged in heated argument over his nomination.
While Ndume wanted Omokri dispatched quickly following a motion to that effect, Oshiomhole held on to the floor, insisting on saying a thing or two about the nominee despite pressures on him not to.
During the heated trading of words, Ndume said: “The procedure is that there is a motion on ground and it should be seconded. If it is not seconded, it is dead.”
Responding, Oshiomhole said: “Mr Chairman, I think I needed to speak on this in the public’s interest.
In particular reference to the nominee, Reno, because we cannot pretend we have not heard stories.”
At this point, Ndume interrupted saying, “You can’t work on stories, there is no petition before the committee. The Senate is not a joke.”
In his response, Oshiomhole said: “Tinubu is a pragmatist, he is not detained by old feelings, doubts, suspicion about anyone until you have the opportunity to, so perform until you hand over to him the steering of a vehicle.”
At the end of the shouting session, Omokri scaled the hurdle and was allowed to take “a bow and go.”
The committee had on Wednesday screened several career ambassadorial nominees including Ahmed Gambari, Maimuna Besto, Monica Enebechi, Ahmed Monguno, Kingsley Onaga, Magaji Umar and Aminu Nasir.
Though, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, APC, Ondo South, is not a Career Ambassadorial nominee, but as a serving Senator in the 10th Senate, he appeared before his colleagues even though he was not originally among the nominees pencilled for screening, but he made a surprise entrance to the hall, he was invited to “take a bow and go.”
All the other nominees were cleared.
