The Senate on Wednesday resolved to investigate circumstances surrounding Mr Anthony Ojukwu’s alleged assumption of office as Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), without confirmation.
Consequently, it mandated the Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters to commence the probe.
The decision followed the adoption of a Point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West.
Citing Order 43 of the Senate’s Rules, Melaye had drawn the attention of the lawmakers to a newspaper report which alleged that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Abubakar Malami, had ordered Ojukwu to assume office.
According to him, the AGF’s action is an affront on the authority of the Senate.
“This is not the first time the AGF will be daring the Senate.
“I therefore call on the Senate to henceforth disqualify appointees who assume office without confirmation,” Melaye had said.
In his remark, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, directed the Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate the allegation.
He urged the committee to look into the matter with a view to verifying the authenticity or otherwise of the issues brought against the AGF.
Saraki cautioned against “growing penchant” by appointees to assume office without prerequisite confirmation from the Senate.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in December, 2017, written to the Senate seeking confirmation of Ojukwu as NHRC Executive Secretary.
But the Senate had since placed an embargo on subsequent confirmation of appointments by the presidency following a lingering standoff over its rejection of Ibrahim Magu as substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
