Ex-Governor Amaechi’s ministerial future hangs in the balance as PDP Senators stage walkout

After a long closed-door meeting between high-level Senate officials, it was announced that Mr. Amaechi’s future, for now, is in the hands of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges which has yet to publish their report on the embattled former governor’s conduct in Rivers State.

Mr. Amaechi has faced the toughest screening and confirmation process out of any of the nominees submitted to the Senate by President Buhari. SaharaReporters previously reported that his Senate screening was postponed three times, in part because of growing fear among Senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Mr. Amaechi did not enjoy their full support.

Senators from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not ask Mr. Amaechi any questions during the screening process and did not respond when he told the Senate Chambers that he “never took a bribe” during his time in office.

This latest challenge to Rotimi Amaechi’s appointment as a minister comes days after the election tribunal nullified the Rivers State governor election of his archrival Nyesom Wike. Governor Wike will now face a re-run election to maintain his position as the top executive of Rivers State.

SaharaReporters gathered last night that PDP Senators planned to withdraw their support of the already embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki if he moved ahead with Mr. Amaechi’s ministerial confirmation today, citing concern of the former governor’s role in the electoral fraud and corrupt practices while in office.