NCC Governing Board: Senate rejects Abubakar, who called for its scrapping

THE Senate yesterday rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of Aliyu Saidu Abubakar from Bauchi State as a non-executive commissioner to the governing board of Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

Recalled that Abubakar had repeatedly called for the scrapping of the Senate, even when he appeared before it.

In fact, he said the Senate was a drain on the nation’s resources when he was confronted by senators during his screening, adding that its existence was not justifiable.

Also rejected was the nomination of former speaker, Kwara State, House of Assembly, Pastor Ezekiel Yissa as a non- executive commissioner to the governing board of NCC.

The Senate, however, approved the nomination of Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye from Ogun State as chairman of the NCC Governing Board; Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Imo State as a non-executive commissioner; Mr Sunday Dare, Oyo State, as an executive commissioner, stakeholders management; Mr Clement Baiye, Kogi, North Central as a non- executive commissioner and Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla, Cross River, as a non-executive commissioner.

Presenting the report on the screening, chairman, Senate Committee on NCC, Senator Gilbert Nnaji, explained that Yissa’s rejection was based on his background as a trained nurse.

He said: “It will not put him in good stead to be able to effectively cope with the dynamics of the communications sector, if his nomination is confirmed.”

According to the report of the committee, Pastor Yissa was rejected because of his background as a nursing officer.

It was gathered that Yissa, who was former Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly between 1999-2003, under the civilian administration of late former Governor Muhammed Lawal, later became the Chairman, Conference of Speakers, State Houses of Assembly from 2002-2003.

In his report, Nnaji said Aliyu Abubakar’s response to questions asked by the committee portrayed him as “a candidate who is not prepared for the demands of office such as required of a non-executive commissioner on the Governing Board of the Nigeria Communications Commission.’’

He said Abubakar could not produce any credible educational certificate for committee to verify at the screening.

“Mr. Saidu Abubakar could not produce any credible educational certificate for the committee to verify at the screening,” he said.