"No Apologies For Confirming Obanikoro As Minister" – David Mark

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Senate President, David Mark, has rebuffed criticisms over his decision to apparently orchestrate a Senate confirmation for Musiliu Obanikoro, who was appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan for a ministerial post despite being at the centre of an election rigging scandal. In a statement signed by his spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, David Mark said he followed the rules of the Senate and will not bend them to please Nigerians no matter how “vociferous or violent” their complaints may be. Below is the statement in full;

“We will like to state without any form of ambiguity that the President of the Senate complied with all the legislative practices and procedures in the confirmation of all the ministerial nominees that appeared before the Senate,”

“It is important to state that the Senate found herself in a situation where two of its traditions were in conflict. There exists a tradition of permitting nominees that had served as Senators or member of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic to take a bow and go without being questioned. 

“The Senate also has a tradition of stopping any nominee that fails to secure at least two of the three Senators. Where the Senate was faced with this conflict, the option available to the President of the Senate, as the presiding officer was to put the question to the floor and rule applicably. 

“The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, did just that. He put the question through voice vote, and ayes won resoundingly and he so ruled. “On the issue of courts, Rules 53 (5) of the Senate Standing Rules did state; ‘if in the opinion of the President of the Senate, the matter will be subjudice.’ Senator Mark made it clear that he has not been served any court order neither has he received any injunction restraining him from processing the confirmation of the ministerial nominees. 

“Besides, it is a known fact that an accused is presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction. The processes and decisions reached on the screening and confirmation of the ministerial nominees were in line with the rules guiding the activities of the Senate.”