President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has formally requested the Senate to confirm key appointments for pivotal roles within the government. These nominations were presented to the Senate on Wednesday, marking a crucial step in the process of selecting key officials for these positions.
The President has put forward the following nominations:
- Musa Aliyu for Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC): President Tinubu emphasized the importance of this appointment, stating that it is in compliance with the provisions of Section 3, Subsection 6 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Establishment Act 2000. Mr. Musa Aliyu, a lawyer and the Attorney-General of Jigawa State, has been nominated for this crucial role.
- Saka Bolaji Suleiman and Professor Gaji Dantata as Members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission: The President also nominated Saka Bolaji Suleiman and Professor Gaji Dantata for membership in the Federal Judicial Service Commission. This move aligns with the provisions of Section 154 of Sections 1 and 3, Paragraph 12 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
The requests of the President were contained in two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read at plenary by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided.
Tinubu added, “I am pleased to present for confirmation, by the Senate, the appointment of Mr. Musa Aliyu as Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission, ICPC.”
The appointment of Aliyu, according to a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, last week, was sequel to the request of the outgoing chairman of the commission, Bolaji Owasanoye, whose statutory tenure still remains over three months, “to proceed on pre-end of tenure leave beginning on 4 November 2023”.
Mr Owasanoye’s tenure is statutorily due to expire on 3 February 2024.
In a similar vein, the President said: “In accordance with the provision of section 154 of sections 1 and 3, paragraph 12 of part 1, of the third schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the appointments of the under-listed two persons as members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
“Commissioner, number one, Saka Bolaji Suleiman, and number two, Professor Gaji Dantata.”
Barau referred the two executive requests to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.