The Presidency has faulted an online publication quoting the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, as saying that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo should be held responsible for a statement credited to him by the Senate.
“”The endorsement by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo of the continuous stay of Ibrahim Magu as EFCC chairman was not a collective decision,” the online publication had quoted the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami as saying on Wednesday.
However, Mr Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity (Office of the Vice-President), on his twitter handle, frowned at the publication, saying the minister was misrepresented by the Premium Times.
He posted on the twitter handle: “”@PremiumTimesng ought to understand a basic fact: Appointments & Nominations are not a matter for Federal Executive Council. They are purely presidential issues.
“”The Attorney-General’s point is that decisions on Presidential nominations are matters for the Presidency and not the Federal Executive Council.’’
While briefing State House correspondents alongside the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Attorney General, dismissed the assertion that the FEC had discussed the issue of confirmation of nominations or otherwise by the Senate.
Akande said, “Well the fundamental consideration about the alleged statement is the fact that at no point ever the federal executive council sat down to arrive at the decision in one way or the other as far as the issue of nomination or otherwise is concerned.”
The Senate on Tuesday frowned at a statement credited to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that the Upper Chamber had no power to confirm certain political appointments being made by the presidency.
The Senate, therefore, in a four-prayer motion, resolved to suspend all confirmation requests from the executive until decisions of the legislature is respected by the presidency.
The decision of the Senate arose from a motion raised by Sen. Sani Yerima, following a letter requesting the confirmation of Lanre Gbajabiamila as Director-General of the National Lottery Commission.(NAN)
SYC/YAZ
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