ABUJA – President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Danjuma Sheni just as the Senate yesterday also resolved to persuade the president to temper justice with mercy by recalling him to duty.
President Jonathan had last week, ordered immediate removal of Amb. Sheni for causing the federal government “huge embarrassment” in the way the xenophobia saga in South Africa has been handled.
In a “special request” yesterday, Sen. Abdul Ningi had urged the Senate to intervene on behalf of the embattled Amb. Sheni with a view to securing a reinstatement for him.
He submitted that the PS had acted out of order for recalling Nigerian ambassador to South Africa in the heat of xenophobic attack on Nigerians in that country.
“The Senate would recall that the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been suspended under an investigation, for recalling the ambassador without jurisdiction and without the clearance of the President who is the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Aware that the President and Commander-In-Chief is responsible for such a call and also aware that the Permanent Secretary has no powers whatsoever to recall an ambassador without a clear directive by the government.Knowing the anger and the mood of this country and believing that the Senate and indeed the National Assembly, did the right thing in suggesting and urging for the executive to recall the ambassador.
I therefore want this Senate not to look the other way at the president, Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces to tamper justice with mercy.
It is indeed his responsibility, powers and jurisdiction and I think it’s important at time like that the Senate President should urge the President to tamper justice with mercy. So as to say, the permanent Secretary should not be dismissed.
He did the wrong thing at the wrong time and he should not have done it’s because of the mood so the president, a humble man should tamper justice with mercy”, Sen. Ningi pleaded for Amb. Sheni.
In his ruling, presiding Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu noted that the matter was a sensitive one and that since Sen. Ningi came under special request, his case would be convened to the President accordingly.
Presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati in announcing the suspension of Amb. Sheni explained that “the permanent secretary was suspended for causing the president embarrassment”.
He noted that “In this age of diplomatic dispatches, you don’t need to recall or invite any envoy before you ask questions. The man (Sheni) has been queried and has been suspended; the minister himself would have been fired if not because we have just one month to go”.
Mr. Abati further noted that “in less than two months, they had embarrassed the government; they did the same mess in the Morocco saga; they were issuing statements without the president’s approval.”
David Mark, Senate President
