The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday attempted a spin on his earlier comments on the screening of Service Chiefs appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday.
Saraki had in a tweet on his Twitter handle on Tuesday said the Senate does not need to screen the Service Chiefs as their appointment was the prerogative of the president.
He said the business of the Senate in approving was limited to “ministerial, parastatals”.
He tweeted: “Appointment of service chiefs is an exclusive function of Mr President.
“Senate can only approve Ministerial, parastatals etc.”
However, his Media Office later in the day issued a statement denying the statement based on an argument of context.
The statement, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, reads in full: “The attention of the Media Office of the Senate President has been drawn to a story making the rounds to the effect that the Senate does not need to screen or confirm the new Service Chiefs appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“However, we want to make it abundantly clear that based on inquiries made to the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki on whether the Senate was consulted before the appointment of new Service Chiefs was announced, he had in response tweeted that the appointment of Service Chiefs is the exclusive function of the President as stipulated by the Constitution.
“Let it be known that his comment is now being misinterpreted to say the Senate will neither screen nor confirm the new Service Chiefs. This is far from the truth.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Saraki has said his comment is without prejudice to extant laws and court pronouncements on the issue and therefore that the Senate will do the needful when the list of the new Service Chiefs is sent to it by Mr. President.
Saraki in a new tweet today said: “This is to clarify the earlier position which was not up to date and does not represent the position of the Senate President on the issue of screening of the newly appointed service chiefs. The Senate will perform its constitutional duty when it receives communication from the President on the appointments.”
However, the clarification did not come until the media recalled a judgement of a Federal High Court declaring the appointment of Service Chiefs without clearance by the Senate as an exercise in nullity.
Justice Adamu Bello gave the order sequel to a suit filed by Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Keyamo.
Bello declared the appointments of the service chiefs without the National Assembly’s approval as null and void because they did not conform with Section 18 (1) and (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A20, Laws of the Federation.
Saraki’s initial position was frowned at the more because he was a part of the Seventh Senate that screened and cleared the immediate past Service Chiefs after the court ruling.
The outgone Service Chiefs had their names forwarded to the Senate by former President Goodluck Jonathan.