Interim Govt Plot, Futile Exercise -Mark …As Senate Summons Jega, Receives 8 Ministerial Nominees

Senate has rejected the call by some politicians for an Interim National Government (ING), stressing  that such is not in any way in the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.
The Senate also cautioned Nigerians, especially those involved in politics to avoid inflammable statements capable of destroying the very podium on which they stand.
The President of the Senate, David Mark, in his remarks at the resumption of plenary yesterday, said every insinuation to the imagined ING  should be disregarded while he expressed strong convictions that the general elections would hold as rescheduled.
“Interim National  Government is alien to the 1999 Constitution. Those calling for ING are pushing for an exercise in futility”, the Senate president said.
Speaking further, he said “This Senate is committed to the provisions of our Constitution which we swore to protect, and we will not do anything to sabotage the democratic process”.
Mark called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to continue to prepare to conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible elections as rescheduled, and emphasised that on the 29th of May, 2015, a democratic government elected through a free and transparent government would be sworn in for another term of four years.
The Senate president also charged politicians to rise up to the occasion and reduce the tension in the country, cautioning them to refrain from acts or statements that will aggravate the already heated polity.
Meanwhile, the Senate has summoned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, to appear before it today  to explain the circumstances leading to the postponement of the 2015 general elections, which was earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28 for both national and state elections respectively.
Jega is expected to also explain to the Senate, and Nigerians by extension,  the workings of the card reader which the commission intends to use for the general elections.
The invitation  of the INEC chairman came on the heels of a resolution of the lawmakers following a motion raised by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba which raised issues on the need for  Jega to appear before it at plenary to answer questions on how prepared the commission is to conduct the elections next month.
According to Ndoma-Egba, the Senate would also be availed the opportunity to get a firsthand information on whether the card readers being proposed by the commission, would work effectively in the elections.
In his contribution to the motion, Senate Minority Leader, George Akume,  recalled that the INEC chairman had repeatedly insisted that the  commission was prepared for the elections, until he was over- ruled by the security chiefs.
Senator  Akume insisted that the service chiefs should rather be summoned to explain why they claimed that they would not be able to provide security in the North East for just one day that the elections would be held.
However, Mark rejected this suggestion, saying that the Senate would listen to Jega first before it can determine if there is need to invite the service chiefs as argued by Akume.
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday also received a list of eight ministerial nominees from President Goodluck Jonathan for confirmation.
The list include Senator Patricia Akwashiki (Nasarawa), Prof. Nicholas Akise Ada (Benue) , Col Augustine Okwudiri Akobundu(rtd); Abia, Zambia and Engr Fidelis Nwankwo (Ebonyi).
Others are Mrs Huawa’u Lawan (Jigawa), Mr Kenneth Kobani (Rivers), Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos) and Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya (Taraba).
According to the Senate’s Spokesperson, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Senate would screen the nominees soon.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi,Abuja

APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside, shaking hands with enthusiastic traders at the popular Mile 3 Market in Diobu, Port Harcourt, during campaign visit, recently.