After weeks of fighting, Senate confirms Supreme Court, NCC nominees

The relationship between the Legislature and the Executive has soured in recent times.

But maybe a series of meetings between Senate President Bukola Saraki and President Muhammadu Buhari, are beginning to yield fruit.

On Thursday, the Senate confirmed the President's nominees to fill in vacancies at the Supreme Court, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

ALSO READ: 3 Things we learned from Senate President’s visit to Buhari

The Senate hasn't always been this cooperative, though.

A few days ago, the lawmakers threw away President Buhari's request for a $30B loan to fix the nation's ailing infrastructure andsent back the names of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Executive.

As the relationship between both arms of government threatened to boil over, President Buhari and Senate President Saraki scrambled for closed door meetings.

Those meetings, held in quick succession, may just be paying off.

On Thursday, the Senate President through his spokesperson Yusuph Olaniyonu, told Pulse that the meetings with Buhari had nothing to do with granting the loan request.

"A visit to the Presidency by the Senate President is a normal thing because we need to consult, discuss, exchange ideas and make suggestions to each other from time to time.

“More importantly, at this time, when the nation is facing economic crisis, there is need for frequent engagements by the Presidency and the National Assembly", Saraki said.

During plenary on Thursday, the Senate hastily approved the recommendations of its committees tasked with poring through the resumes of Buhari's nominees for INEC, Supreme Court and NCC.

Sidi Bage and Paul Galinge were thereafter confirmed as Justices of the Supreme Court.

The following were confirmed as national commissioners of the electoral body: Okechukwu Ibeanu from Anambra State; May Agbamuche-Mbu from Delta State; Ahmed Muazu from Gombe State; Mohammed Haruna from Niger State; Adekunle Ogunmola from Oyo State and Abubakar Nahuche from Zamfara State.

For the NCC, Olabiyi Durojaiye who hails from Ogun State, was cleared as the Chairman of the NCC.

Sunday Dare who served as spokesperson of APC leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will resume duties as Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management) of the NCC.

Ifeanyi Ararume, Imo State; Clement Obaiye, Kogi State; and Okoi Obono-Obla from Cross River, were cleared as Executive Commissioners of the NCC.

Obono-Obla is however still the President's adviser on legal matters. He's been working from the Justice Ministry.