Nigeria: Senate Approves 20 Aides for Jonathan

Abdul-Rahman Abubakar

30 June 2011

The Senate yesterday approved the request of President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint twenty special advisers. Several senators that spoke during the consideration of the request however called for reduction in the number insisting that such appointments contribute to the high cost of running the government.

They argued that slashing the number of presidential aides to ten will reduce the much talked about high of running government in the country.

But in his comment, Senate President David Mark disagreed with his colleagues saying “I don’t think we should reduce the number. We should look for other items to reduce the cost of governance. After all the advisers are going to be shared between the President and the Vice President. It is not only for the President.”

When the question was put though majority of senators votes in favour of the approval.

The Constitution provides that the President must get approval for number of aides to be appointed but the individuals to be engaged are not to be sent for approval of the Senate.

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