Presidency Backs Senate On Amaechi’s Screening

The presidency on Monday, October 26, said the Senate acted within its rights in deferring the screening of the former governor of Rivers state Rotimi Amaechi.

Rotimi Amaechi answer questions raised on the floor of the Senate

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the senior special assistant to the president on National Assembly matters (Senate) Ita Enang said the lawmakers had the right to defer Amaechi’s screening without the reports from the committee on ethics and privileges on the petition against him.

“They are within their constitutional right to regulate their own proceedings.” Etang said.

READ ALSO: Ministerial Confirmation: Senate Has Done Well – Senator Adeola

Enang said the constitution authorizes the Senate, the House of Representatives and every legislative house to regulate its own proceedings including managing matters that are brought before them.

“Therefore what the Senate did is domestic to the Senate and I am not in a position to speak about it but they are within their constitutional right. What they do is domestic to it, internal to it and it is within their  powers so I am not in apposition to speak one way or the other about it,” he said.

However, the screening of the nominee led the lawmakers from the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to disagree.

READ ALSO: Petition Against Rotimi Amaechi Not Yet At EFCC

Although the PDP senators did not pose questions during the screening, they insisted that the report from the committee must be considered before Amaechi was screened.

After his screening was deferred twice, the former Rivers state governor was finally screened on Thursday, October 22 by the Senate.

Three PDP senators from Rivers state had petitioned the Senate president over allegations made against Amaechi by his successor, Nyesom Wike during his tenure as governor of Rivers state.

However, a tribunal court in Abuja on Saturday ruled against the Rivers election, dismissing Wike as the state’s governor.

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