A former Governor of Adamawa, Boni Haruna, said he would not allow any minister to intimidate him from carrying out his ministerial responsibility if confirmed by the Senate.
Haruna who made the assertion in Abuja while being screened by the Senate in the committee of the whole House for ministerial appointment, said “I do not see any minister who is so powerful as not to allow me present a proposal that will benefit the people.
“I will not be intimidated by any minister in trying to do my work because I will key into the Transformation Agenda of the president,” he said.
The former governor who had been under EFCC investigation said that he had been exonerated of all the charges against him.
“I have been subjected to interrogation by anti-corruption agencies. I was arraigned for over 30 charges but two weeks before my name was sent here, I was exonerated of all the charges.”
He said it was wrong for an agency of government to be used against those who were in government just to show that people could not be in government and come out clean.
According to him, his case has shown that it is possible to hold position in government and come out clean.
The nominee told the senate that the best way to curb corruption in Nigeria was for the country to go through an attitudinal rebirth individually and collectively.
He said Nigerians could retrace their steps by embracing honesty of purpose where there was no “hanky panky” or double standards.
Similarly, another nominee, Abduljelil Adesiyan, said in his opening remark that he was innocent of the assassination of Bola Ige, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
Adesiyan said; “I was wrongly accused and unlawfully detained for three and a half years for something I knew nothing about. I am innocent.’’
Two other nominees were also screened , Dr Khaliru Alhassan (Sokoto) and Dr Tammy Danagogo (Rivers).
Out of the 12 ministerial nominees sent to the senate by President Goodluck Jonathan for screening, 10 have been screened while the remaining will appear before the Senate on Feb.18.
Meanwhile, a mild drama ensued while Sen. Danjuma Goje (Gombe) got up to ask one of the nominees a question.
Goje who was seated at the side allocated for senators of the PDP said he was a senator of the APC.
This statement apparently infuriated Sen. Smart Adeyemi (PDP-Kogi) who raised a point of order.
Smart referred to the Senate President’s persistent ruling that a matter which was in court could not be debated on the floor of the Senate.
He said that it was inappropriate for Goje to sit on the PDP section and said he was of the APC, thus making reference to a matter which was pending in court.
Mark, however, said that he understood Adeyemi’s point of order but that he reserved his ruling on it.
