Ambassadorial list: Foreign Affairs Minister appears before Senate c’ttee tomorrow

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, is expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs tomorrow over alleged irregularities in the ambassadorial list recently sent to the Senate for screening and subsequent approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The expected appearance of the minister is sequel to a summon to him by the committee following a resolution of the Senate to that effect shortly before the Red Chamber embarked on a 21-day recess. Two members of the committee, Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe and Sonni Ogbuoji confirmed that the Minister would appear before the committee tomorrow.

The Senate had shortly before it embarked on Sallah break three weeks ago, summoned the Minister and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal, to explain why some states of the federation were omitted in the list of ambassadorial nominees pending confirmation in the Senate. Onyeama and Lawal were also expected to make explanations to the lawmakers on perceived irregularities in the list of the nominees, including alleged selection of some junior officers in foreign service for ambassadorial appointment instead of their superior counterparts.

The Senate made the resolutions sequel to its consideration of a point of order, raised by Senator Joshua Dariye, who came under Orders 42 and 52. However, the two public servants did not meet with the Senate Committee as scheduled before the National Assembly went on the short recess.