There was mild drama in the Senate today as Sulieman Nazif, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, committee presented his report. The report recommended that Monday Udo Tom, Attahiru Garba Madami, and Festus Okoye should be confirmed but Ahmed Bello Mahmud should be rejected.
The committee boss based his recommendations on a petition earlier received.
But in a strident disapproval, Kabir Marafa, a senator representing Zamfara central, protested against the report, alleging that the petition that influenced its outcome was written by Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara, without an affidavit required by the House; alleging that the chairman compromised legislative standards.
He said, “There was a petition by the state governor. The governor said he was not from Zamfara state but from Sokoto state.
“But the report of this committee stated that he went to primary, secondary in Zamfara. This is hypocrisy at its best. Our head of service is from Sokoto state. Yari should sack those people and then write a petition. Senator Nazif is compromised, I have evidence.”
However, deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu citing a rule of the lawmaking chamber, said Marafa to apologize to Nazif. Also Senate president Dr. Bukola Saraki reinforced Ekweremadu’s call for an apology.
When the president threatened to rule Marafa out of the order, the Zamfara lawmaker softened a bit accepting to withdraw his comment.
“I will withdraw my statement but I will not apologise, I stand by what I said. Where is the affidavit in line with order 127.”
In the end, Marafa apologized to Nazif, mended his reputation among his colleagues.
