The Senate has lifted its embargo on the confirmation of executive appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It was learnt that the embargo, which lasted over one year, was lifted at a closed-door session held by the lawmakers on October 10, 2018.
The embargo was placed in protest against the retention of Ibrahim Magu as acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission despite his non-confirmation by the Senate.
The senators were also angered by a statement credited to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who was quoted as saying that he agreed with the activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), that Section 171 of the Constitution empowered President Muhammadu Buhari to make certain appointments without recourse to the legislature for approval.
Speaking with news men on Sunday, a Peoples Democratic Party senator from the South-East geopolitical zone said the lawmakers resumed from their annual recess to lift the embargo.
The senator spoke on the condition of anonymity because members are barred from making public discussions in the chamber’s executive sessions.
He said, “We have lifted that (the embargo). We did it (placed the embargo) based on certain premises and after a while, those issues were resolved. You can see that we are clearing the backlogs and all the outstanding screenings and confirmations. We are doing them. So, it has been lifted.”
