The Nigerian Senate today deferred the screening of controversial former minister of state for defense, Musiliu Obanikoro, while it went ahead and screened four others at the Senate chamber.
[slideshow]38120[/slideshow]It will be the second time Mr. Obanikoro’s screening will be deferred by the Senate. President Goodluck Jonathan renominated Obanikoro to compensate him after he failed woefully to pick up the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos state.
Since SaharaReporters revealed an audio tape featuring the former minister in a plot that led to the rigging of Ekiti state governorship election last June, the All Progressives Congress senators in the Senate have vowed to oppose Obanikoro’s nomination as minister.
The Senate President David Mark reportedly dropped Obanikoro’s name today from the list of ministers to be screened to avoid his defeat at the Senate by senators who had vowed to vote openly against his nomination.
Mr. Obanikoro left the Senate crestfallen as he walked out, he refused to speak with a horde of pressmen waiting to speak with him outside of the Senate chambers.