Amaechi Visits Saraki Over His Ministerial Nomination, Lobbies Senate President For Soft Landing

Sensing that he will have a hard time in the Senate as the upper chamber commences ministerial screening next week, the former governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, has visited the Senate president, Bukola Saraki.

Saraki seem to be the new bride of political actors now

Amaechi visited Saraki where he pleaded with the Senate president to assist him in getting a clean bill of health in the red chamber.

Amaechi’s nomination is facing stiff opposition in the Senate especially from senators from his state. The senators has already submitted a petition to the Senate concerning his nomination, accusing him of fraud and corruption.

For its part, the Rivers state government has issued a statement saying Amaechi’s nomination as minister will not save him from being prosecuted for looting the state’s funds.

Also, the Rivers state police command said it uncovered plots by two opposing groups to demonstrate over the ministerial nomination of the former governor of the state.

According to Leadership, Amaechi visited  Saraki in his Maitama, Abuja residence at about 11.45pm on Tuesday, October 6, and left at about 1am.

Reports had emerged that some APC chieftains whose names are reportedly on the ministerial have started lobbying senators so they can successfully scale the screening process billed for Wednesday, October 7.

Some others are said to have gone spiritual, embarking on intensive prayer sessions to come out unscathed from the exercise.

A source who has full details of the visit said this was the first time Amaechi had visited Saraki since the latter’s election as the Senate president.

Amaechi was said to have stayed away and even worked against Saraki’s emergence as the Senate president, as he aligned himself with APC party leaders.

Amaechi reportedly drove himself to the residence of Saraki  in the company of an aide and pleaded with the Senate president to forget the past and help him scale through the screening process.

Meanwhile, there are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari has reached out to senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in order for his nominees to have smooth sailing at the Senate screening set to begin next week.

 

The buzz that was generated by the release of the list has not died down, as Nigerians have been reacting to the names on the list since it was made public.

Source: Naij