Senate Committee clears Abia FCC nominee amid petitions

Senator Ayo Akinyelure led Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Thursday cleared Hon. Henry Ogbulogo who was nominated as member of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) and Intergovernmental Affairs by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The nominee’s party – All Progressive Congress (APC) in Abia petitioned him to the Senate on grounds that it would be a “negation of the principle of fairplay, social justice and equity”, for Hon. Henry Ogbulogo to be nominated, saying his zone in the State had been enormously favoured in the past.

The petition whichnwas dated 4th May, 2020 and signed by the State party Chairman, Chief Donatus Nwankpa and 21 executive committee members urged the Senate to stop the nominee in tje interest of equity.

The party allayed lopsidedness, saying other zone which has not benefitted from the office before was waiting in the wings.

Part of the petition read: “Hon. Henry Ogbulogo is from Abia North Senatorial district where the immediate past occupants of the said office, one Engr. Iboko Imo Iboko came from.

“It is on record that the two past members of the Commission that represented the State has either come from Abia South or Abia North Senatorial district, thereby denying the Abia Central Senatorial district its right of so represented.”

Earlier in his address, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Petitions, Ethics and Privileges, Senator Ayo Akinyelure urged the nominee to defend the petition against him, stating that its a tradition to hear from the nominee before reverting the recommendation to the Committee on the whole.

Senator Akinyelure said the petition was written by his own party executives, a situation he said it would be taken seriously.

A member of the Committee, Senator James Manager explained that the grounds with which the nominee was petitioned was not injurious to the Constitution, asserting that as a Nigerian, Mr. President has the discretion to appoint him.

Other members who took turns to speak reasoned that the petition should be ignored, while they asked the nominee to take a bow and go.

Meanwhile, the Chairman Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator Danjuma La’ah on Thursday laid the report on other nominees who have already been screened.

All the State including the Federal Capital Territory has a representive each.

Senator La’ah’s report said: ” That the Senate do receive the report of the Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs on the confirmation of the nomination of persons for appointment as Chairman and members of the Federal Character Commission.”

However, the Committee is expected to lay the report of its findings on the APC petition against the nominee with a recommendation at a future date.