Whether we like it or not, sooner or later, our past do catch up with us. Sometimes, they do so quickly and forcefully, or gradually. Or over a long period of time. For Festus Keyamo, former Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Productivity and fiery Chief Spokesperson of All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (2019 & 2023), his past deeds caught up with him at his Ministerial screening on Monday afternoon, August 7, 2023 at the Senate.
The chaotic situation mid-way into his screening was such that the Senate was forced to put a scrunching halt to the process and the upper chamber went into a closed-door session.
Trouble started when Keyamo, the last nominee of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appear before the upper chamber, finished with his presentation.
Senator Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia) raised a point of order and moved a motion that Keyamo’s screening be stepped down for having refused to appear before the 9th National Assembly to answer questions regarding his activities as then Minister of State for Labour and Employment.
Citing Section 88 of the Constitution, the Senator Nwokocha said Mr Keyamo violated the Constitution in the past by ignoring summons from the two chambers of the National Assembly during the implementation of the Special Public Works Programme of the federal government.
“Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, each House of the National Assembly shall have power by resolution published in its journal or in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation to direct or cause to be directed investigation into – any matter or thing with respect to which it has the power to make laws, and the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry or government department charged, or intended to be charged, with the duty of or responsibility for,” the Section reads in part.
The motion was seconded by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia).
When the motion was put to vote by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, there was no clear division between those against the motion and those in support.
While Mr Akpabio was hesitating to call the votes, a rowdy session ensued on the floor of the Senate as different camps were shouting “ayes” and “nays.”
Akpabio stood up from seat and cited Order 62 of the Senate and asked all Senators to calm down. When they were calm, the Senate President said a lot of things were considered before nomination of Mr Keyamo.
Consequently, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion that the Senate move into a closed session. The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwom. The Senate decided to suspend Keyamo’s screening and go into a closed or Executive Session.
At exactly 2:00 p.m, the Senate President directed that the Senate dissolve into closed-door session and ordered Mr Keyamo to step out of the chamber.
What exactly did Keyamo do that has come to haunt him? The deed was done on July 1, 2020 when the National Assembly Joint Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity walked him out as Minister of Labout and Productivity following his refusal to apologise after the legislators accused him of raising his voice against them.
Members of the joint panel, who had summoned the Keyamo and then Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mr. Nasiru Ladan Argungu, to brief them on steps so far taken to recruit 774,000 persons across the country, had accused Keyamo of hijacking the programme from the NDE and alleging acute lopsidedness in its execution.
President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the engagement of 774,000 Nigerians for the Special Public Works programme under the NDE to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic. The programme is expected to take off in October this year.
The situation was such that the Joint Panel asked journalists to excuse them in order to speak in closed session with the Minister but Keyamo rejected the idea and insisted that having been openly accused and disgraced, the cameras should remain in the room.
The Minister’s outburst infuriated the lawmakers who asked that he should apologise for his behaviour but Keyamo felt he had done nothing against the procedures of the legislature, hence he had no reason to apologise.
After about 30 minutes of loud arguments from both parties, Keyamo said he would only speak on camera or take his leave and the lawmakers shouted back at him to go if he wanted. They then ordered him out.
But that was not the only altercation with the Senate. On November 17, 2015, Keyamo, as counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had a heated exchange with members of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions as he insisted that the committee lacked the power to summon former EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, after his exit from office.
The committee was investigating Lamorde over an alleged diversion of N1trn recovered by the commission under him.
Telling the Senators that they were ignorant of their powers, Keyamo stated: “The Senate has no power to invite a private person.” But he was interrupted by the committee members who said Mr. Lamorde was still in the public service as a police officer but the lawyer maintained his ground and the session had to close.
Again, on February 25, 2016, Keyamo accused the Senate of “legislative rascality” when the Senate committee directed its chairman to request warrant of arrest for Lamorde from the Senate President. He specifically asked the Police to disregard the threat of the Senate to issue a warrant for the arrest of Lamorde.