Face-Off In Nigeria’s Senate Over Musiliu Obanikoro’s Ministerial Nomination

by Deji Abiodun

Another row has broken out at the senate over the screening of Musiliu Obanikoro for a ministerial position. Those Opposing Obanikoro, a one time senator are insisting that he took part in rigging the Ekiti state election hence he shouldn’t be considered for public office.

His renomination by President Goodluck Jonathan is being opposed by senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but it has been a long standing tradition of the Nigerian senate to allow former senators to “take a bow and go” during ministerial screening.

Gbenga Ashafa, the senator representing Lagos east, had raised a point of order challenging the attempt to screen Obanikoro. Ashafa, who said Obanikoro has a pending case in court, brought out a copy of The Nation Newspaper to butress his point, TheCable reports.

He further said David Mark, president of the senate and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were joined in the suit.

But Mark ruled him out of order, saying the court is yet to serve him in that regard. “You don’t serve me on the pages of the newspaper. As far as I am concerned, there is no case in court, so I rule you out of order,” Mark said.

Obanikoro, former minister of state for defence, resigned his position last year to seek the Lagos governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost to Jimi Agbaje.

NewsWireNGR recalls that a tape was leaked to the media by one Cpt. Sagir Koli exposing how the security agencies led by Obanikoro manipulated the process. But Obanikoro is yet to be indicted by any court of law.