Legislative governance expert and policy analyst Chibuzo Okereke has criticized Nigeria’s ministerial screening process, describing it as more of a formality than the rigorous confirmation procedure mandated by law.
Okereke made these remarks during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday.
He voiced concerns about the credibility of the vetting process, especially in the wake of the recent certificate scandal involving the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, who resigned amid forgery allegations.
Okereke explained that the Nigerian Constitution and Senate Standing Orders clearly outline the procedures for ministerial confirmation, but they are rarely followed.
“The ministerial process we have been witnessing, I could say, has been a parley process and not a confirmatory process as required.
“Section 147 (1) establishes the office of the minister and empowers the president to make appointments, while Section 147 (2) empowers the Senate to confirm those appointments. The process we have seen is far from what the Constitution envisaged,” he said.
He further described the situation as deeply disturbing, decrying that a minister could serve for two years before such discrepancies were discovered.
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