SENATE President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday, stopped former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, from addressing a “strong petition” cited against him over Southern Kaduna killings on the floor of the Senate during his ministerial screening exercise.
The lawmaker representing Kogi West, Senator Sunday Karimi, during the screening moved against El-Rufai.
Karimi, after el-Rufai’s presentations, stood up and told the chamber that he had a petition written against the former governor over the issue of killings in Southern Kaduna.
Raising up a brown envelope, Karimi said, “Mr. President, I have a petition written against the nominee over the issue of insecurity in Southern Kaduna when he was governor.
“If I am permitted, I will like to read the petition.”
El-Rufai faced the lawmakers immediately after Olawale Edun.
Earlier, el-Rufai reeled out to the Senate his achievements as governor and former FCT minister before questions were entertained by the lawmakers.
The first to ask him the question was the lawmaker representing Zamfara West, Senator Abdulaziz Yari.
Following Yari’s question, the Senator representing Kaduna North, ibrahim Khalid Soba, appealed to his colleagues to allow the former governor to take a bow.
El-Rufai, however, answered the questions by Yari after which Akpabio told him to leave.
The Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio, who refused to take the petition, said a number of petitions were submitted against a number of the ministerial nominees.
He said, “This is not the place to consider petitions, we will sit with the petitions later and refer them to relevant authorities.
“Please, take a bow, my brother.”