Again Prof Akinwande Turns Down Buhari’s Appointment Offer

He however denied this in a letter to the chairman of the Senate committee on power, steel development and metallurgy, Enyinnaya Abaribe, saying he was only in the process of clearing with his current employer, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, USA.
The Nigerian Tribune reports that at the resumption of the committee on Monday, November 28, the nominee, again, refused to appear for screening.Provoked, a member of the committee, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, declared that Professor Akinwande had lost the privilege given to him to serve the nation.

The report said the nominee contacted the committee and informed its members through a text message that he was not available for the job.

Senator Hunkuyi was quoted as saying: “The nominee (Professor Akinwande) has exhausted the privilege given him by Mr President.

“He has also lost the privilege given to him by the committee by deferring the screening of the board for one month. He has finally exhausted the opportunity to serve this country.”

The report further said the senior special assistant to the president on National Assembly matters (Senate), Ita Enang, tried unsuccessfully to persuade the committee not to foreclose Akiwande’s opportunity promising to make further consultations with the president.

“I do pray that the committee note that the nominee did not appear just today. Let it be a suspended matter. I will communicate with the president and get more information about him and get back,” he said.

Senator Abaribe was said to have rejected Enang’s plea saying the committee’s decision would be communicated to the Senate at plenary.

Hunkuyi was said to have interjected saying: “But if somebody says I will not be able to make it, what does he imply?”