Political scientist, Sam Oyovbaire and Geographer Jerry Gana were successful information ministers who our senators in their limited exposure, would have turned down. Would our senators have cleared Muhammadu Ribadu and Musa Yar’Adua, (both non-Lagosias as ministers) (on different occasions) for Lagos affairs? Would our senators not have queried Muhamadu Ribadu’s background to merit him as Nigeria’s first federal Minister of Defence? Inua Wada was a businessman before becoming Federal Works and later (on the sudden death of Mohammadu Ribadu succeeded him as) minister of defence.

Was late Professor Essang an engineer or chattered accountant? Whichever he was, he served first as Finance Minister and later Works Minister both under Shehu Shagari. Senators, because of their mentality on specialisation would have denied Professor Essang one of the two posts.

Adegoke Adelabu was not a medical doctor or educationist but he ran both ministries combined as social services. Could he have been cleared by the senate? Eni Njoku an educationist (mines and power) Ayo Rosiji, a lawyer (information) TOS, Benson a lawyer (information, Tafawa Balewa, a teacher (transport) A.C. Nwapa, a lawyer Commerce and Industries, Raymond Njoku a lawyer (commerce and industry and later transport) Zana Bukar Dipcharima, Tunji Olagunju, a political scientist (internal affairs) etc. All ran their ministries without being limited to their areas of specialisation.

What is more, Senators were screening a ministerial nominee who was subjected by the senators to unnecessary stress of being reduced to a current affairs student and asked to recite the national pledge. The poor man panicked and collapsed. Rather abruptly and to avoid disaster, the senators, after the man was revived, hurriedly cleared him. The man could have died on that day. What section of the constitution makes recitation of national pledge mandatory for a ministerial nominee?

How many of the senators on that day could recite national pledge? How many ex or serving governors can recite or actually recited the national pledge? They introduced national pledge for Nigerians because United States has national pledge? Did our own national pledge stop the originators from emptying our treasury or from attempting overnight manipulation of our constitution to keep him in office perpetually?
Yar’Adua swore to protect and defend the constitution. If the senate fails to see reason and proceeds to pass the bill compelling the President to tie portfolios to the names of ministerial nominees, they (the senators) would have amended the constitution without following the procedure. Also, the Senate would have unsurped the constitutional authority to sack a minister or reshuffle his cabinet. Third, the Senate would have denied the states their joint constitutional responsibility to amend the constitution.

Yar’Adua would have allowed himself to be politically incapacitated under the constitution. He must therefore veto the proposed ministerial Tenure Bill if passed. The Senate may override his veto. The Supreme Court is there to interprete such matter, more as amending the constitution, usurping the power of the president on his prerogative to reshuffle his cabinet and whether the is null and void.
Arising from a Supreme Court ruling on the peculiarity of every federal presidential constitution everywhere in the world, Nigerian constitution is peculiar for not importing all the provisions and conventions of the American constitution.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison. Chickena.

•Concluded