Senator Elisha Abbo, a former federal lawmaker, has called attention to a break from established precedent regarding the process that transpired after Senate President Godswill Akpabio submitted to the National Assembly the nomination of Justice Chioma Nwosu Iheme to the Supreme Court. He maintained that the submission ought to have been sent to the Committee on Judiciary for in-depth review by the Senate President....For More CONTINUE THE FULL READING▶▶
He however noted that the Senate President, Senator Godwill Akpabio deviated from this process. He claimed that Senator Akpabio informed the Senate that Supreme Court nominees were awaiting approval, but Senators resisted, asserting that the nominees should undergo screening by the committee.
He noted that the Senate President had intervened by instructing Senator Monguno to communicate with the nominees outside. He revealed that after a brief 25-minute conversation, the Senate President abruptly directed the passage of the nominees, deeming this deviation from the customary legislative process as an abuse of the established procedure.
He said in an interview with Arise TV, ”By precedence, what should happen is that after Mr President read to the National Assembly. The Senate President do give it to the committee chairman and the committee on Judiciary will now sit down together and look at these things. But in this case, the Senate President did not do that. Sen Akpabio said the Supreme Court nominees are waiting outside and the Senators refused.
They said you can’t bring them in here. By precedence, they should go down and be screened by the committee. There and then, the Senate President shouted Senator Monguno, go and talk to them outside. 25 minutes after talking to them, he said pass them. That is an abuse of a legislative process.”…CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
