Emmanuel Aziken
9 January 2009
The re-presentation of Alhaji Abdulrahman Adamu as ministerial nominee of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in the Government of National Unity (GNU) has put the Senate in a dilemma.
The Senate is in a bind on how to confirm the nominee who it earlier rejected on the basis of what it described as his evasiveness and refusal to allow the Senate assess his intellectual capability.
Adamu, the ANPP National Vice Chairman (North-East) and the Kogi State ministerial nominee, Mr. Humphery Abah were the duo left hanging after the Senate confirmed a number of ministerial nominees proposed by President Umaru Yar'Adua to replace those sacked last year.
While Abah's confirmation was left hanging on account of the protest by Senators from Kogi State, Adamu was rejected in the words of Senate spokesman, Senator Ayogu Eze, for being evasive and denying Senators the opportunity to assess his intellectual prowess.
"The candidate was very evasive, he refused to answer questions and he dodged all the questions put to him and so it was difficult for Senators to assess him to probe into his intellectual fibre, to know whether he has the capacity to be a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and if we weren't availed that opportunity, of course, we withheld our assent and we didn't approve him," Senator Eze said.
However, beyond Senator Eze's assertion of Adamu's alleged evasiveness, Vanguard gathered that Adamu's problem arose from the massive opposition of ANPP Senators to his confirmation on account of the nominee's alleged role in the formation of the GNU.
During the ministerial screening, ANPP Senators had grilled Adamu over the propriety of his nomination and the party's participation in the GNU.
The rift between the ANPP Senators and the national party was, however, settled during a peace meeting where the national chairman of the party, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, apologised to the Senators over whatever grouse they may have had with the national party and the national officers.
Following the meeting, the party, it was gathered, prevailed on President Yar'Adua to again re-represent the nominee for Senate clearance.
However, Senators were said to have become wary of confirming him so soon after they had rejected him.
"What do we go and tell the nation now so soon after we rejected him for specific reasons. Have we re-screened him and so soon measured him to have dramatically improved his intellectual capacity?" one Senator asked.
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