Posted by By GLORIA NWAOCHEI on
The 11-member Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Anti-corruption will today screen the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri and other members of the commission as a prelude to their confirmation by the committee of the whole House.
The 11-member Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Anti-corruption will today screen the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri and other members of the commission as a prelude to their confirmation by the committee of the whole House.
Already, 10 out of the 11 members of the committee screening them are said to have resolved to douse the tension generated by the face-off between the committee and the presidency over the appointments.
Some of the senators already rooting for a smooth passage for Waziri and other members of the commission include Senators Suleiman Nazif, Ahmed Sani Yerima, Jubril Aminu, Satti Godwin, Gyand Dantong, Simeon Oduoye and Dahiru Kuta.
A prominent member of the committee said to have been very critical of the process adopted by President Umaru Yar'Adua in making the appointment was, however, said to have failed to soft-pedal.
Another member of the committee who craved for anonymity explained that the one-man riot of the senator is understandable 'given his close ties with the former chairman of the commission and probably all they both shared together."
The senator, however, said with the majority of the committee members already determined to end the needless controversy by pushing for the confirmation of Waziri and others, his critical colleague can only join hands with them to facilitate the immediate take-off of the new team at the EFCC.
'If we don't do that now, what do we stand to gain from a continued face-off with the presidency under the same party since we have already made a point.
Otherwise, the people will start to suspect may be some of us have a hidden agenda or we are promoting a sectional interest," he stated. He called for the continuity of the present rapport between the executive and the legislature in the interest of the nation. 'Staying too long on any issue that can be resolved amicably will only overheat the polity and divide the Senate and probably sets the Reps against the Senate as it is already emerging," the senator added.