Senate in flip flop over clearance of NCC Commissioner

theeagleonline.com.ng

Posted by Segun Adebowale

Sabi said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the nomination of Mr. Obla was never confirmed or voted for since no decision of the Senate is said to be approved if not adopted during the consideration of the Votes and Proceedings of the Senate at the next legislative day

Facts have emerged that the report submitted by the Senate Committee on Communication cleared Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla as a Commissioner of the National Communication Commission.
H‎owever, the Senate in letter sent to the Presidency removed the already confirmed nominee from the list.
A statement by the Senate spokesman, Senator Abdulahi Sabi, said Obono-Obla ‎was never confirmed.
Sabi said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the nomination of Mr. Obla was never confirmed or voted for since no decision of the Senate is said to be approved if not adopted during the consideration of the Votes and Proceedings of the Senate at the next legislative day.”
But the last paragraph of the report of the Committee on Communication cited by The Eagle Online said: “‎ Obla-Obono responded brilliantly at the screening exercise and promised to bring his legal experience to bear by collaborating with his colleagues on the board to further enhance the growth of the communications sector if his nomination is confirmed. He has the experience, competence and commitment to discharge the responsibility of a non-Executive Commissioner.‎”
The Committee in its report gave reasons why other nominees such as Aliyu Abubakar (Non-Executive Commissioner/Bauchi/North-

East) and Pastor Ezekiel Yissa (Non-Executive Commissioner/Kwara/North-Central) were dropped by the Senate Committee.
Obono-Obla, who is the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, attached to the Ministry of Justice, had protested against his removal in an email sent on Sunday in what he described as back-door removal.
The mail was titled: Can the Senate President unilaterally overrule the confirmation of a nominee by the Senate?”
The nominee, who asked why he was removed after the Senate had confirmed his nomination, simply said: “The entire major electronic and print media organs in the country, on November 17 and 18, 2016, carried the confirmation by the Senate of the Board of Nigerian Communications Commission.
“Surprisingly and curiously, the Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in a letter dated November 22, 2016, to President Muhammadu Buhari, titled ‘Confirmation of Appointments,’ falsely stated that the Senate did not confirm the following nominees: Aliyu Saidu Abubakar; Pastor Ezekiel Yissa and Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla.”