Indications emerged on Tuesday that the Presidency has started
reaching out to members of the opposition Peoples Democratic
Party in the Senate to ensure soft landing for President
Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees when the screening
starts next week.

The manifestation came to the fore when the Minority Leader of
the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, addressed a joint
conference on Tuesday in company with the Senior Special
Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters
(Senate) Senator Ita Enang.

Enang told journalists in company with Akpabio in Abuja that
he had initiated contact with the PDP senators as part of his duty
to reach out to members of the National Assembly.
He said, “Part of our job is to reach out to all the sections. And
the past is gone, this is a new beginning. We are doing this in
the interest of Nigerians.”

Akpabio on his part said he would like to know what the
nominees have in stock for Nigerians.

He however expressed satisfaction with the ministerial list
presented by Buhari, adding that “even though in the opposition
party, we believe strongly in one Nigeria and we believe in the
unity and progress of this country.”

He added, “Our stand is that anything that can elevate the living
standards of Nigerians and improve the economy of the entire
country must be supported.

“It is our duty to rally round the President to make the economy
improve. On a personal note I am impressed with the list sent by
the President. I believe that he has kept to his words by ensuring
that he sought out a lot of people of integrity that can salvage the
country.

“The Senate will still do its work of screening and re-screening.

More than 70 to 80 per cent of the people on the list should
scale through.

“We will do our best to ensure a robust debate, fine-tune the
policies of the APC administration to better the lots of Nigerians
and to ensure that Nigeria gets out of the current economic
doldrums.

“So far, on a personal note, I am impressed with the list that was
sent by the President. I believe that he has kept to his word by
ensuring that we search for people of integrity that can salvage
the country.

“But of course, the Senate will still do its work of screening and
re-screening and I pray that more than 70 or 80 per cent of
people on the list should pass through.”

Meanwhile, a former Governor of old Anambra State in the
Third Republic, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has appealed to the
senators to desist from carrying out any political vendetta while
screening the nominees.