Ministerial Screening: Akpabio Blocks Senate Rejection Of Bosun Tijani for calling Senators ‘Morons’

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Saturday blocked an uprising targeted at a ministerial nominee, Bosun Tijani, representing Ogun State, demanding he be rejected as a minister.

Tijani was among the 20 names submitted by President Bola Tinubu as the last batch for screening for a ministerial position.

The nominee, who’s a tech expert, appeared before the Senate after giving a brief introduction of himself, received a barrage of inquest into several tweets of his which called members of the upper legislative chamber “morons” and equally derided Nigeria.

The nominee has been under fire on social media since his nomination was announced following controversial tweets credited to him.

Many commentators including members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from Ogun State have demanded for his rejection and/or replacement immediately.

But the president allowed his nomination to stand thus his appearance on Saturday for screening.

The senators who were competing among themselves to ask questions put him to task about his old tweets.

Fatai Buhari (APC, Oyo) mentioned a tweet credited to the nominee which he made on July 21, 2019, saying, “Nigeria” is a bloody expensive tag to have against your name.

“Leave patriotism for a minute – that tag is a bloody waste of energy. A second foreign passport isn’t sufficient to clean the “sin”,” the tweet reads.

He followed the tweet with, “What a country!”

A livid Buhari asked, “Have you changed your view?”

That prompted Akpabio’s intervention when he asked the nominee if he still believed in Nigeria and is still a Nigerian.

Tijani responded in his defence that, “I am going to ask that you listen to me as if I am your son. I will speak from my heart.

“We have opened up outlets in four countries. And in every one of our outlets we have flags.

“The business I do, we help young people to raise funds. In 2019, I needed a visa to China, and they requested my bank statement. As soon as they knew I was from Nigeria, they requested more checks. That was when I made that tweet,” he said.

In his defence, Senator Elisha Abbo (APC, Adamawa-North) said he had experienced what the nominee experienced which led to his controversial tweets while Senator Solomon Adeola, (APC, Ogun) commended the nominee for owing up to the tweet, he justified the tweet on the basis of frustration with which Chinese Embassy treated him and treats Nigerians.

Despite his pleas that the nominee has apologised and should be allowed to go, other senators chorused in opposition as the chamber descended into heated argument and protest.

As the presiding officer called the house to silence, he granted approval for the Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwom, (PDP-Plateau) to speak.

Mwadkwon raised another controversial tweet credited to the nominee when he called the senators “morons,” advising that no matter the level of provocation and frustration, he should try and restrain from allowing that to get to him.

He referenced the tweet which went like, “Who conducted a security check on him when he was appointed? What sort of checks are done by @NGSenate when they confirm appointees. And the media.. question for another day.

“Until we ask the right questions, these morons will continue to take us for granted,” Tijani had tweeted.

After asking the nominee if he’s the author of the tweet and he answered in the affirmative, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, intervened saying the context of the tweet should be understood.

He explained that the nominee participated in the #EndSARS protested, like the children of many senators, including his own daughter, and some of the tweets were made in the heat of the moment.

Although Akpabio would have none of Bamidele’s defence saying his children would have faced similar scrutiny and inquest if the situation presented itself, he requested that the nominee apologise which did not sit down well with majority of the senators who were demanding his nomination be blocked.

The nominee said, “I am absolutely sorry,” and attempts by dozens of senators who were raising the point of order to block his screening were rebuffed by Akpabio as he stepped down and left the chamber.