Saraki’s tweet on service chiefs sparks up controversy

Firstclass newsline gathered that a controversial message posted on
the Twitter handle of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Monday
night, sparked a serious controversy which forced his media team to
make clarifications that further provoked critical reactions from
Nigerians, on Tuesday.
Saraki, in his tweet, said that President Muhammadu Buhari did not
require the approval of the Senate to nominate the country's service
chiefs.
He specifically said it was not the business of the Senate to approve
the appointment of service chiefs.
Saraki was reacting to the President's statement on Monday that the
newly-appointed service chiefs would function in acting capacity
pending the Senate's approval.
He noted that the upper chamber could only approve the appointments of
ministers and heads of Federal Government agencies.
The Senate President wrote, "Appointment of service chiefs is an
exclusive function of Mr. President. Senate can only approve
ministerial, parastatals etc."
But while reacting to the controversy generated by the statement,
Saraki's media team said those who made comments on the social media
over the issue actually misinterpreted Saraki's message.
The statement read in part, "The attention of the Media Office of the
Senate President has been drawn to a story making the rounds to the
effect that the Senate does not need to screen or confirm the new
service chiefs appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
"However, we want to make it abundantly clear that based on inquiries
made from the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on whether the
Senate was consulted before the appointment of the new service chiefs
was announced, he had in response tweeted that the appointment of
service chiefs is the exclusive function of the President as
stipulated by the constitution.
"Let it be known that his comment is now being misinterpreted to say
the Senate will neither screen nor confirm the new service chiefs.
This is far from the truth.
"For the avoidance of doubt, Saraki has said his comment is without
prejudice to the extant laws and court pronouncements on the issue and
that the Senate will do the needful when the list of the new service
chiefs is sent to it by Mr. President."
Firstclassnewsline.net