Two candidates sent out by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate for confirmation have actually been authorized.

The Senate, on Wednesday confirmed the nominations of Nnamonso Ekanem and Mahmoud Abubakar Magaji as members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

The nominees who are from Akwa Ibom and Niger states are to represent the south-south and north-central zones on the Commission, respectively.

The confirmation of both nominees followed the factor to consider of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in his presentation, stated their elections were made by President Muhammadu Buhari pursuant to Section 154, subsections (1) and (3) in conformity with Paragraph 12 (e) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

According to the legislator, the nominees “are healthy and correct persons for appointment as Members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.”

He revealed that there was no petition or adverse report against the nominees, including that, “record checks and other forms of investigations by security companies did not reveal any unfavorable trace against them.”

Bamidele expressed satisfaction with the certifications, experience, skills and stability of the candidates as Members of the Commission.

In an associated development, the Senate has actually forwarded President Buhari’s request for the verification of four nominees as Commissioners for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Committee on Power.

The candidates who are to appear before the panel for evaluating include Dr. Yusuf Ali (North Central), Engr. Chidi Ike (South East), Mr. Nathan Shatti (North East) and Mr. Dafe Akpeneye (South-South).

The Committee was offered 2 weeks by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to report back to the chamber in plenary.

Meanwhile, the chamber, on Wednesday, stepped down the factor to consider of a report by the Committee on Aviation on the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Establishment) Bill, 2021.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi, provided a discussion on the report.

The factor to consider of the report was, nevertheless, suspended midway after the lawmakers identified a “mix-up” in the Committee’s report on the bill.

The motion for the report to be stepped down was moved by the Deputy Whip, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North) and seconded by Ahmad Babba Kaita (Katsina North).

ToriNG