Nnaji: Onoh clears DSS of blame

The erstwhile southeast spokesperson to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Denge. Josef Onoh, has exonerated the Department for State Services (DSS) of immoderate blasted regarding the screening of the erstwhile Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji.

Onoh portion addressing newsmen successful Abuja said that the enactment of consistently asking nominees for nationalist bureau to spell for DSS screening is incorrect and full maltreatment of the functions of the enactment which helium said should beryllium stopped immediately.

He advocates that Nigeria should measurement up to a globally accepted signifier and turn beyond the 3rd satellite state practices. Involving the DSS was a signifier by the subject junta due to the fact that the Constitution was suspended. Hence, the unconstitutional enactment became normalised and continued by the antiauthoritarian government.

“It is not the law work of the Nigerian Department of State Services (DSS) to surface the acquisition qualifications of a president’s nominee for nationalist office,” Onoh maintained.

He stressed that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) does not delegate specified work to the DSS, but instead, the Constitution outlines chiseled roles specified that the President nominates individuals for offices similar ministers (under Sections 147 and 154), and the Senate conducts the ceremonial screening and confirmation process to measure suitability, including qualifications.

“Educational credentials for specified nominees are typically verified by the issuing institutions (e.g universities) oregon done Senate inquiries during hearings, not by the DSS.”

Referring to the Constitutional Framework, said that the DSS’s Mandate is established nether the National Security Agencies Act (Cap N74 LFN 2004).

“The DSS’s halfway functions absorption connected interior security, counterintelligence, and protecting elder officials specified arsenic preventing crimes threatening nationalist security. The Nigerian Constitution does not explicitly item DSS duties but embeds them wrong broader enforcement powers (Section 5). It does not see vetting acquisition qualifications arsenic a statutory obligation.”

Onoh said that the Nominee Screening Process nether Section 147(2) requires Senate confirmation for ministerial nominees wrong 21 days, emphasizing the legislature’s relation successful evaluating fitness.

“The Senate Rules (Order 44) usher this, often involving CV reviews, plus declarations (per Section 149), and nationalist hearings wherever qualifications similar degrees oregon NYSC certificates are probed. Past controversies (e.g., allegations against nominees similar Kemi Adeosun oregon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo) were handled via Senate scrutiny and organization verifications, not DSS-led probes.”

He maintained that the relation of the DSS successful acquisition screening of nationalist bureau nominees is an enactment that’s Practice vs. the Constitution due to the fact that successful practice, the enforcement (via the President’s office) often requests informal information clearances from the DSS for nominees, which whitethorn incidentally interaction connected credentials if they rise information reddish flags specified arsenic forgery linked to fraud.

“Examples see the DSS clearances for 2024 ministerial nominees similar Bianca Ojukwu, signaling nary information objections earlier Senate screening. Historical cases, specified arsenic the 2015 Buhari administration, sending lists to DSS for preliminary checks. However, these are administrative conveniences, not law imperatives.”

Onoh gave instances connected DSS engagement successful non-security screenings similar Senior Advocate of Nigeria elevations. He said that specified expansions transcend the DSS’s statutory scope nether the NSA Act, perchance violating ultra vires principles. The Constitution prioritizes Senate oversight to forestall enforcement overreach.

“If a nominee’s acquisition qualifications are successful doubt, the Senate tin request nonstop grounds from bodies similar the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) oregon universities, arsenic seen successful the 2023 T...