“There must be changes in order to have a new order. True, there must be radical changes in order to have a new order. But I have never advocated that these radical and revolutionary changes should crystallize through foul means.”
–Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe
Daniel Kanu
Remarkably, within a time frame of one week, the Senate confirmed the 43 ministerial nominees that were screened for appointment into the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. After the screening that began on Wednesday, July 24 and ended on Tuesday, July 30, the Senate took the next step of confirming all the screened ministerial nominees.
Following the Senate tradition, Senate President Ahmad Lawan asked the senators if they approved the appointment of each of the nominees, and the lawmakers responded in the affirmative.
The Nigerian Senate had in the past been criticized for its praise-singing of ministerial nominees.
However, no one expected that the praise-singing would turn to adoration and coronation under the superintendent of Lawan, an acclaimed cerebral Senate President.
It was obvious that the Senate fixated on adoring the players that they are to superintend over, and simply lacked the guts to engage the nominees to rigorous screening.
Although, the senate president to some extent tried to curtail the feverish worship many of his colleagues brought to bear in the screening, this was to no avail.
It was not funny to political watchers to witness during the exercise what has become the abuse of ‘take a bow and go.’
Of course, there is nothing wrong in asking one to take a bow, perhaps as a privilege to a former senator, but most parliamentary experts have argued that it should not be so without the nominee letting the public know what new things he or she will be bringing on board.
What played out which most observers see as not only ridiculous, but also shameful was that some senators tried very hard to hide the capacity of their own nominees from serious interrogation, which should not be so.
The patronizing stance of the senators in shielding their nominees from thorough grilling to most commentators was a problem.
There is no doubt that following the way and manner that Lawan emerged as endorsed candidate of both the party and presidency he would ensure that things get expeditious consideration on the floor of the House. But critics seem to be apprehensive that such attitude if not adequately guided, may sacrifice thoroughness of work expected on the part of the lawmakers.
Arguably, some political observers have little doubt that the latest Senate screening or rather smooching is about the most wacky in the history of the Fourth Republic against the background of its poor screening methodology.
This many believe does not speak well for the leadership of Lawan, who is known to parade superior credentials and requisite knowledge in parliamentary affairs.
The matter is made worse by the continued refusal of the president to attach portfolios to the nominees to ascertain expertise on the nominee area of strength. That is despite a resolution of the 8th Senate that portfolios should be attached to nominations.
Umunna Ulu, a civil servant, believes that the irony in the farce (take a bow), presented as screening by the upper chamber, perhaps unknown to them is the fact that after assuming office as minister, these nominees will begin to look down on the senators, seeing them as cheap.
Given the fact that the APC is in the majority in the Senate, some critical Nigerians contend that perhaps the present Senate may end up as a rubber stamp to Aso Rock.
But Lawan has asked Nigerians not to make such quick conclusions, promising that what would obtain under his leadership will be for the parliament to ensure that there is a cordial relationship with the executive arm of government to make things easy for good governance.
In a chat with journalists recently, Lawan promised that “there is no need for any fear that we will be a rubber stamp National Assembly. Perhaps and probably with time, Nigeria will come to see that what we desire and what will happen by the grace of God will be a working relationship that endears the entire administration and government to the people of Nigeria. So, there is no cause for alarm.”
Lawan has said repeatedly that the leadership of the Ninth Assembly would not under any guise compromise its oversight function on other arms of government.
For now, the realization of Lawan’s promise is in the womb of time as Nigerians have started compiling his scorecard.
Lawan, 60, was born January 12, 1959 and represents the All Progressive Congress in the Yobe North Constituency of Yobe State.
He completed his primary education at Sabon Gari Primary School, Gashua in 1974 and then attended Government Secondary School, Gashua where he got his O’Level in 1979.
He proceeded to the University of Maiduguri where he obtained a Bachelors degree in Geography, in 1984 and obtained a Master’s degree in Remote Sensing from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a Doctorate degree in Remote Sensing/GIS from Cranfield University, UK, in 1990 and 1996 respectively.
In 1999, Lawan was elected into the House of Representatives, where he chaired House Committees on Education and Agriculture.
In 2007, he was elected a Senator on the platform of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).
He has won re-election three times since and was Senate Leader in the 8th Senate after his failed bid to become Senate President in 2015.
In 2019, he emerged the new Senate President of the 9th National Assembly with 79 votes cast to beat Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume with 28 votes.