How PDP Senators Turned Dumb During Amaechi’s Screening Yesterday

The controversy over the screening of erstwhile Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi as a minister, ended in an anti-climax yesterday, when seething senators of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP turned dumb to him.

The PDP caucus kept mum upon the determination of All Progressives Congress, APC Senate caucus for Amaechi, the director-general of the triumphant APC presidential campaign to be screened yesterday.The path to his appearance which had in the past been laced with politics was agreed at a closed-door meeting of the Senate that preceded yesterday’s plenary.

At that session, the PDP senators it was gathered had again restated their opposition to the appearance of Amaechi, alleging that the issues of corruption raised against him had not been debated by the Senate.

That argument was, however, brushed aside by the APC senators most of who read politics into the opposition by the PDP, who they claimed wanted to punish Amaechi for his role in the emergence of the new leadership of the country.

Faced with the determination of the APC Senate caucus to forge ahead with the screening of the former governor, the PDP members it was gathered, were persuaded to backtrack on their earlier pledge of walking out. Rather, the PDP senators resolved not to ask Amaechi any question.

As the Senate resumed plenary, yesterday, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Senator Samuel Anyanwu laid the report of its investigations into the petition filed against Amaechi. The report was, however, not debated.

Following other preliminaries, the Senate upon a motion moved by the Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume and seconded by Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate minority leader, resolved to move into the committee of the whole for the purpose of screening nominees of the president for ministerial positions.

Remarkably, Amaechi was the first on the list and he was followed into the chambers by a high-profile delegation of the APC including the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former Speaker Ghali Na‘abba, former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Peterside Dakuku, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State among many others.

Asked for his opening comments, Amaechi started his greetings by acknowledging the three Rivers State senators, all of the PDP, who have been at the forefront of opposition to his ministerial nomination.

He greeted Senator Thompson Sekibo as the senator representing him, forcing laughter from Sekibo, Senator Olaka Nwogu as his long time friend and roommate at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology. He also acknowledged Senator Osinakachukwu Ideozu, who he said served under him as a commissioner.