Reasons Senate refused to confirm  El-Rufai, Danladi, Okotete as Ministers

Except for Nasir El-Rufai that a Senator raised concern over a petition bothering on his divisive politics during screening, none of the two other nominees had any reason to doubt their confirmation when they appeared before the Senators last week.  

Even Nasir El-Rufai was defended by some Senators who refused to allow the petition against him be read. He was asked to bow and go by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who said the Senate Screening was not the place to respond to petitions. 

While the nominees all took a bow and go, the Department of State Services (DSS) sent letter to the Nigerian Senate, urging the lawmakers not to confirm the three of the ministerial nominees. 

Akpabio, in a closed-door meeting, briefed his colleagues, without stating reasons, that the three nominees should not be confirmed. 

El-Rufai 

Apart from the petition against El-Rufai which a Senator attempted to raise on the floor of the Senate, there have been other allegations against the ex-Kaduna Governor. 

Recall that a group of protesters under the aegis of Secure Nation Group (SNG) in Abuja had staged a protest on the premises of the National Assembly to call on the lawmakers not to confirm El-Rufai as minister.

The protesters, displaying placards, defied the presence of security operatives who barricaded the main gate of the building as they chanted anti-government songs.

The group expressed surprise that El-Rufai’s name was listed as a ministerial nominee despite his alleged religious colouration which the group described as dangerous to the unity of the nation.

They noted that the Tinubu-led government should investigate and prosecute El-Rufai over alleged genocidal attacks on predominantly Shia Muslim communities in Kaduna State.

Okotete

On July 29, some top Nigerian lawyers wrote to the 10th Senate demanding the immediate disqualification of Okotete, who is a former Executive Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM).

The lawyers from Juryman Associate Chambers are Aare Oladotun Hassan, Esq, Principal Partner/Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Epe Branch/ Executive Director, Lawyers For Justice Reform, and Barr. Myso Nejo.

In the letter to Nigeria’s upper legislative house, the petitioners requested the Senate to properly investigate Mrs. Okotete over alleged massive corruption allegations against her – round-tripping and recycling of different loans and use of various front-companies as proxies to defraud NEXIM Bank of billions of Naira and Dollars.

Abubakar 

A publication on the Taraba State website confirmed how Danladi was barred In 2019 from contesting or holding political offices over alleged certificate forgery and age falsification.

Before the 2019 general elections, a High Court in Jalingo had disqualified Abubakar Sani Danladi from contesting the election after it was found that he presented a forged document to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The case went on to the Court of Appeal before the election and to the Supreme Court after the election, where the apex court affirmed the judgement of the lower court confirming that the certificate presented by Sani Danladi to the INEC was fake and forged.

It was in the same judgement that the Supreme Court barred Sani Danladi from contesting any election until after 10 years.

The Gazette done by Taraba State had read in part; “A five-man Panel of the Supreme Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja today the 5th day of July 2019 and composed of The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria Tanko Mohammed JSC, Mary Peter Odili JSC, Olukayode Ariwoola JSC, Paul Galumje JSC and Uwani Abbaji JSC have dismissed the Appeal filed by Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi the purported APC Governorship candidate in the 2019 Taraba state Governorship election which challenges his disqualification by the Federal High Court, Jalingo.

“The Supreme Court dismissed the Appeal for being incompetent and failing to meet the requirements of the law.

“Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi was disqualified from contesting the 2019 Governorship election in Taraba state on the 6th day of March 2019 by the Federal High Court, Jalingo presided over by Honorable Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam.

“However, on the 7th day of March 2019, the Court of Appeal sitting in Yola and composed of Chidi Nwaoma Uwa JCA (Presiding), James Shehu Abiriyi JCA and Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero JCA granted an interim stay of status quo in favour of Sani Abubakar Danladi which enabled him to stand for the March 9th, 2019 Governorship election in Taraba state.

“The Court of Appeal sitting in Yola subsequently and still composed of the above-mentioned Justices later heard the Appeal of Sani Abubakar Danladi on merit and struck out the Appeal for being incompetent on the 3rd May 2019.

“Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi further Appealed to the Supreme Court against the judgement of the Court of Appeal which Appeal the Supreme Court has struck out/dismissed today for being incompetent and failing to meet the requirements of the law.

“1. The judgement of the Supreme Court against the Appeal of Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi today the 5th day of July, 2019 means that the Judgement of the Federal High Court, Jalingo which disqualified Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi from contesting the March 9th, 2019 Governorship election in Taraba state still subsist and has full effect because as it stands now; the Federal High Court judgement have not been altered nor set aside by the Supreme Court which is the highest court in Nigeria.”