Senators Withdraw Petition Challenging Yuguda Nomination As DG SEC

….As Senate Set To Screen Adolphus As Auditor-General Of The Federation

The three Senators representing Akwa-Ibom State have withdrawn a petition challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Mr. Lamido Yuguda as Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The Senators are: Bassey Akpan (PDP – Akwa-Ibom North East); Christopher Ekpenyong (PDP – Akwa-Ibom North West); and Akon Eyakenyi (PDP – Akwa-Ibom South).

The lawmakers challenged Yuguda’s nomination on grounds that the President refused to nominate Mary Uduk from Akwa-Ibom State, who was already serving as Acting Director-General at the Commission.

According to a report of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, the lawmakers had sought the intervention of the Upper Chamber to ensure that the people of Akwa-Ibom State were not further marginalized in matters of Federal Appointments.

In his presentation, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure explained that the three Senators, found it “disheartening that Mary Uduk, who was eminently qualified to be appointed DG, SEC, having represented Nigeria at the regional and international bodies such as the West African Capital Market Integration Council (WACMIC) and currently on the board of the International Organization of the Securities Commission (IOSCO), the international standards setter for securities regulation, was neither listed as DH nor as a full-time Commissioner.”

He, however, said following a move by the Committee to investigate the concerns raised by the lawmakers in the petition to the Senate, the Petitioners and Respondents met and resolved the matter.

According to Akinyelure, the resolution between both parties, subsequently led to the withdrawal of the petition by the three lawmakers from Akwa-Ibom State led by Senator Albert Bassey Akpan.

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, however, observed that there was a procedural issue which made it mandatory for the Committee to submit a report to the Senate despite the decision by the petitioners to withdraw the petition in the first place.

Accordingly, the Senate while adopting a resolution by Senator James Manager (PDP –Delta South), resolved that, “consequent upon the withdrawal of the petition by the petitioner, the matter is hereby taken and withdrawal approved.”

In a related development, the Senate on Thursday forwarded President Buhari’s request for the confirmation of Mr. Aghughu Arhotomhenia Adolphus as Aiditor-General of the Federation to its Committee on Public Accounts for screening.

Also forwarded was the nomination of Engr. Wakil Bukar as Commissioner for Federal Civil Service Commission to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service.

The request to confirm Adolphus as Auditor-General of the Federation was contained in a letter dated 12th January, 2021, and read on Tuesday during plenary by the Senate, earlier this week.

According to President Buhari, the appointment of the nominee was pursuant to section 86(1) of Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Buhari in another letter dated 3rd February, 2021, had sought the confirmation of Engr. Wakil Bukar as Commissioner representing Bauchi, Borno and Yobe States, at the Federal Civil Service Commission.

According to him, Wakil’s appointment was in accordance with the provision of Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The President of the Senate, after referring both nominations to the Committees on Public Accounts; and Establishment and Public Service, gave the Committees two weeks to report back to the Upper Chamber.