TheCable

The major task before the senate on Wednesday is the screening of ministerial nominees. President Muhammadu Buhari’s insistence on a September deadline means Wednesday is the D-Day for the unveiling of the president’s cabinet.

Already, Saraki has urged his colleagues to avoid “unnecessary politicking” with the list. In his welcome address at the senate on the first day at plenary after six weeks of recess, he promised that the list would be treated with dispatch and thoroughness but talk is cheap, especially when it is coming during a stormy period.

SARAKI’S ROW WITH BUHARI

There is a possibility that the cold relationship between Buhari and Saraki could have effect on the exercise. Both men have not been on speaking terms since Saraki emerged senate president against the wish of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, and Saraki both defied the wish of their party but Saraki’s case was worse, having gone into alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which resulted into conceding the position of the deputy senate president to the party in minority.

While Dogara found his way back into the good books of his party by allotting the principal positions in the green chamber in accordance with their demand, Saraki went ahead to give the key positions to his allies, disregarding APC for the second time in a row.

The senate president believes his ongoing trial at the code of conduct tribunal is politically-motivated.

“I reiterate my belief that the only reason while I am going through this trial is because I am senate president,” read a statement he issued on the day he made record as the first senate president in Nigeria to be docked over alleged charges of corruption.

“If I were to be just a senator, I doubt if anybody will be interested in the asset declaration form I filled over 12 years ago.”

But Buhari has distanced himself from the trial, describing it as “purely a judicial process” and maintaining that the war against corruption has no sacred cows.

“The president has vowed to respect the rule of law and this is what he is doing by staying out of this matter,” read a statement issued on Buhari’s behalf by Garba Shehu, one of his spokesmen.

“Even if the president wants to help, there is no way he can do anything. Is he going to ask the judge to stop the trial? Let them hire a good team of lawyers to prove their innocence.”

The truth be told, as the one empowered to preside over the ministerial screening, Saraki to a large has the power to determine the way the exercise goes. He could make or mar the whole process.

WILL SARAKI GO THE WAY OF MARK?

Towards the end of the 7th assembly, President Goodluck Jonathan sent a list to the senate for screening; and in line with one of the senate rules, a nominee ought to receive the endorsement of at least two senators from his state of origin in order to be cleared. All three senators from Lagos were opposed to Musiliu Obanikoro’s nomination, yet his a nomination was unchallenged because of Mark’s smooth relationship with Jonathan.

The opponents of ‘Koro’, as he is fondly called, did all they could but failed. Mark not only gave them the opportunity to advance their positions, he listened to them patiently but ended up ruling them “out of order”.

Will Saraki, who was on the other side of the divide with Mark less than a year ago, use the same approach to fight back? The answer may just be a few hours away.