BEVERLY HILLS, July 11, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives has handed a one-week ultimatum to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo for him to swear-in and assign portfolios to ministers-designate from Kogi and Gombe states who were confirmed by the Senate on May 3, 2017.
The nomination and appointment of Stephen Ocheni Ikani from Kogi State and Suleiman Zarma Hassan from Gombe State were approved as ministers replacing James Ocholi and Amina Muhammed, respectively, but the executive has failed to swear them in or allocate any office or portfolio to them ever since.
Following a motion moved under matters of urgent national importance by a lawmaker from Kogi, Sunday Karimi, the House expressed concern that the states are not represented in the Federal Executive Council, FEC, adding that the council as currently constituted is in flagrant breach of section 14(2) and section 147(3) of the 1999 constitution.
Karimi, had while presenting the motion, urged Osinbajo to swear in the ministers-designates, arguing that the absence of Kogi and Gombe on the federal cabinet makes the FEC “improperly constituted and its activities illegal”.
His words, “The 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria vests the executive power of the federation in the president and such power may be exercised directly through the vice president and ministers of the government of the federation or officers in the public service of the federation. Section 130 of the ground norm provides that there shall be for the federation a president who shall be the head of state and chief executive of the federation.
“Section 145(1) of the constitution provides that whenever the president of the federation is unable to discharge the functions of his office for whatsoever reason, the president shall transmit a written declaration to the president of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives to that effect, and until he transmits to them a declaration to the contrary, the vice president shall perform the functions of the president as acting president.
“Section 147 provides that there shall be such offices of ministers of the federation as may be established by the president. Such ministers shall be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Section 143(3) and Section 14(3) shall comply with the principles of federal character, accordingly, each state shall have at least one minister”.
In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker, Lasun Yusuf, who presided over the session, urged “the acting president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to swear in and allocate portfolio and official duties to the ministers-designate from Kogi and Gombe states within the next one week”.
