Senate violates constitution, screens nominees without assets declaration certificates

As outrage trails the controversial ‘bow and go’ tradition of the Senate where some ministerial nominees are excluded from the rigours of extensive questioning, another issue raised its head on Friday.

At the third day of screening the nominees, facts emerged that the Senate has been violating the 1999 Constitution by screening nominees who did not submit their certificates of assets declaration before appearing for screening.

The lawmaker representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo made the revelation on Friday through a Point of Order.

The PDP lawmaker explained that the constitution mandated that for every presidential nominee for ministerial position, they have to submit their certificates of assets declaration.

Ewhrudjakpo expressed concern that since the commencement of the ministerial screening on Wednesday, nominees who failed to present their certificates of assets declaration have been screened.

According to him, since the present administration place so much emphasis on anti-graft crusade, the spirit and letters of the constitution must be adhered to.

He therefore insisted that those without assets declaration certificates should be disqualified during the confirmation by next week.

Responding, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the session, noted that some of the nominees complied by submitting their certificates of assets declaration before appearing, saying that the defaulters would do so before confirmation on Monday.

Addressing newsmen after his submission, Ewhrudjakpo said: “The constitution requires the President, Vice President, the service chiefs and heads of extra-ministerial departments to declare their assets before they are screened.

“But I noticed that it was not the trend with this screening and I decided to draw the attention of the Senate President to this fact. A few of them have complied but majority of them have not complied.

“It is a breach of the constitution. If we are fighting corruption, we must be seen to be doing so. We should know what they are worth before coming to office and what they are worth at the end of their tenure”.

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja