The Senate, on Monday, July 31, irked many Nigerians for adopting the ‘bow-and-go’ policy during the screening of President Bola Tinubu’s potential ministers.
More prominently, the Senate adopted the policy to favour politically-exposed persons like Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers state, who has no prior legislative background.
The bow-and-go policy was a privilege extended to former lawmakers in the past during the ministerial screening.
The Godswill Akpabio-led Senate, however, took it a notch higher by extending the concession to their political associates.
Wike, the immediate past chief executive of oil-rich Rivers, worked assiduously for the emergence of President Bola Tinubu in his state.
This is even though the former governor is, and still is, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
His nomination by Tinubu is seen as a reward for ensuring the incumbent was victorious in his home state.
Wike’s closeness to the senators was evident as he backslapped principal officers, while he was yet to take the traditional bow before the presiding officer – Akpabio.
Tailorson Nwani, a lawyer, says the Senate’s action is an assault on the collective intelligence of Nigerians.
”As Nigeria becomes the republic of fraud and forgery, the Senate’s purported screening of the ministerial nominees insults our collective intelligence. Even those with obvious certificate issues were asked to bow and go,” he lamented.
Abdul Abdurasheed wrote:
”I don’t think we are going to have a Senate like that of David Mark. During his reign, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was quizzed for three and a half hours before he was told o take a bow and go. Now all they do after nominees introduce themselves is take a bow and go.”
Dolapo Macaulay wrote:
”The ministerial screening at the Senate is just a joke and proper charade. Nothing more. These senators have no deep commitment to national development. A nominated twerp will simply bow and go, but the country suffers stunted development.”
Abasiama OnwienuAbasi, a business development executive, wrote:
”Take a bow and Go! The 10th Nigerian Senate screening is a shameful display.”
Interestingly, opposition party senators were in support of the policy, and some were at the forefront of the plan.