The Senate was on Thursday thrown into a rowdy session as the senators screened former Governor Rotimi Amaechi as a nominee of the President Muhammadu Bihari government.
The near commotion came after Amaechi introduced himself and told the senators what he could do as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Senate Minority Leader and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State who spoke first, announced that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus of the House would not ask questions because the senators on the platform of the party just got the report of the Ethics and Privileges Committee on the investigation of Amaechi.
But Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, who explained that the report was only tendered and that this was not enough not to ask questions, suggested that Amaechi should take a bow and go, leaving the Senate in a rowdy session with some supporting and others opposing.
Ndume’s address of the PDP caucus as “these people” also provoked the members, leading to a louder row. Ndume was later asked to retract the statement and tender an apology for the statement.
While addressing the senators, Senate President Bukola Saraki reminded them that it was the agreement of the senators that former senators, members of the House of Representatives and those who had served in the legislative arm in the country would be given preferential treatment.
Throughout the session with Amaechi, no PDP senator asked a question. The questions answered by Amaechi, the Director-General of the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, were asked by those in his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
While answering questions, Amaechi said he would concentrate on the controversial East-West Road that was a major problem between him and the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Amaechi said that all his life, he had fought for his right and hated corruption.
Given an example, he said he had to run with his family to Ghana and lived in a one-room apartment with them during his battle to regain his mandate from Celestine Omehia.
“I was saved by the Supreme Court,” he said.
He also recounted how the current governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, as Minister joined the President to fight him using federal might.
He said for three years as a governor, he never saw the commissioner of police in his state. He also said the director of the State Security Service (SSS) would only sneak into his house disguised, “whisper into my ears” and run away.
He revealed that he never saw his brigade commander as governor, saying they were hijacked.
The former governor held that if governors are allowed to function as they should with the rule of law, there would not be crises between them and ministers.
“A Nigerian is his own government because he provides his own power and security,” he said while answering a question from the senators. “Corruption is difficult to define,” he added. If they send a girl to you to do something for her and you sleep with the girl, you are corrupt.”
Amaechi also mentioned that Rivers State has invested a lot in agriculture adding.
He said: “If you invest in Agriculture and invest in technology, you will hire as many workers as you can get. In Rivers State we established two farms.
“We must improve on the social rights of the people; if you have peace you’ll have investors. We need to invest in Agriculture, Mining and Education and improve on the social lives of the people.”
“Why people don’t invest in Nigeria is because the cost of investment is higher than the profit. I find it difficult to do what people want me to do, if it clashes with my principles.”
He used the opportunity to tell the senate about the report of the panel constituted by the present state governor, saying the report did not indict him in any way.
He also said his hardline view on resource control changed after he visited Germany and saw its revenue generation/allocation formula.
He was thereafter asked to take a bow and go.
At the time of this report, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and two others had been screened.
Lokpobiri was asked to take a bow and go as is the norm with senators.
