Buhari’s Nominees Must Not Be Screened, It’s Unconstitutional – Legal Practitioner

Barr. Deji Enisenyin, an Abeokuta-based legal practitioner, has approached a federal high court in the Ogun state capital, seeking to stop the screening of the ministerial nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari by the Senate next week.

In an originating summons in a case, suit number FHC/AB/CS/76/15, filed before the court, the lawyer is asking for a declaration that Bukola Saraki, the Senate president, cannot present for screening the names submitted to him by President Buhari.

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The defendants in the case are the Senate president, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the National Assembly and the attorney general of the federation. They were joined as first, second, third and fourth defendants.

The legal practitioner is also seeking for a declaration that the first defendant cannot consider the names submitted by President Buhari for violating constitutional provisions.

Quoting from sections 147 (1) (6) of the 1999 constitution, the lawmaker said the offices to be held by the nominees were not included in the names forwarded.

Other reliefs, as contained in the summons, a copy of which was obtained by a Naij.com’s correspondent, read:

“An injunction restraining the 1st defendant and other members of the Senate from screening or going ahead with the screening of the names forwarded to the 1st Defendant by 2nd Defendant on the 30th of September, 2015.

“An order restraining the 1st defendant and other members of the Senate from according any recognition whatsoever to the list of names submitted to the Senate President by the 2nd defendant in defiance with the provision of the relevant provisions of the 1999 constitution.

“An order restraining the 2nd defendant from giving any effect to the names submitted by him to the 1st defendant on the 30th of September, 2015, having not complied with the provisions of the 1999 constitution of FRI.

“A declaration that the names of 21 persons forwarded by the 2nd defendant to the 1st defendant on the 30th of September, 2015, without indicating the offices which the nominees are to hold is unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void.”

In a 15-paragraph affidavit in the support of the motion, the lawyer opined that the Senate can only screen the nominees, when the offices for which they were nominated are forwarded along with their names.

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He explained that granting the application would be in the interest of justice as such would not be prejudicial to the defendants.

Meanwhile, on Friday, October 9, all the 21 ministerial nominees got invitations from the Department of State Security Service for ‘security checks’.

The top focus is to check the authenticity of the candidate’s educational background, as President Buhari has reportedly promised to drop those ministerial nominees who present fake certificates.

According to TheNation, Abdulrahman Dambazzau, Amina Mohammed, Audu Ogbeh, Kayode Fayemi, Musa Ibeto, Ogbonnaya Onu, Suleiman Adamu and several other candidates were spotted completing the checks.

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