Amaechi's Screening: Ex-Militants Tell Senate What To Do

A group of former militants in the Niger-Delta region, the Niger-Delta Coalition, said a fight against Rotimi Amaechi, the former governor of Rivers state, is a fight against change.
The ex-militants described Amaechi as the “Lion of Niger Delta” who represented the ‘Change’ the All Progressives Congress (APC) stood for, Daily Times reports.
Led by their president, Young Piero, and secretary, Toriomo Excel, the former militants on Tuesday, October 21, said they supported President Muhammadu Buhari during the presidential election because of Amaechi.
The ex-militants said: “We supported Buhari-led APC because we wanted change. The Senate should know better that a fight against Ameachi is a fight against the progressives; a delay to screen Ameachi is against the peace-loving people of Niger-Delta and millions of Nigerians.



“It is time for the Senate to recognise him and some others who worked for the peace enjoyed during the last general election. The Niger Delta Coalition does not see any reason why he (Ameachi) has not been screened by the Senate. He is a leader, a coach, an instructor, a mobiliser and a motivator who put his life, family and the lives of many that believed in the struggle to bring about the change Nigeria is talking about today.”
They called on the Senate to waste no time in screening the former governor for his contributions to President Buhari’s success and for the benefit of Nigerians and Niger Delta.
The Senate has been deferring Amaechi’s screening since last week due to the inability of the committee on ethics and privileges to conclude investigations into petitions brought against him by senators from his state.
The screening of the former governor was scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, but it was deferred once again. Reportedly he will now be screened on Thursday.
According to a section of the constitution, unless the Senate confirms or formally rejects him by Thursday, October 29, Amaechi would automatically be sworn in as a minister upon the expiration of the 21-day constitutional deadline allowed the Senate to confirm or reject a ministerial nominee.