How Festus Keyamo dazzled Senators at ministerial screening

Standing before the Senate on Friday as he was screened as Minister of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government, fiery activist lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), said there was nothing wrong for each region to have its own supreme court only for the apex court in Abuja to operate as Central Supreme Court.

To this end, he said if appointed as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation in the country, he would unbundle the Supreme Court.

Keyamo however said as a man under President Muhammadu Buhari, he was ready to serve in any ministry he might be assigned.

Asked to make comment concerning the CV he submitted, the activist lawyer said: “My dad is from Delta State and my mum from Ogun State.

“I was the one who fought that Service Chiefs must come to the Senate to bow. I won in the court and they have been coming here to bow. 10 years ago, I have been prosecuting on behalf of EFCC, I won many cases and lost many.

“Chief Gani Fawehinmi groomed me. I am a human rights Militant. I prevented many MOSOP from being killed by getting them out of the hook by defending them free of charge.

“I am a foundation member of APC in Delta. APC was formed in my house in Delta Delta. Recall that PDP was and is still in power in Delta State.

“I am under PMB. I am ready to perform under any Ministry”, he said.

When it was the turn of members of the red chamber to  screen him, among Senators who asked him questions were: Senator Bamidele, Deputy Senate President Omo Agege, Minority Leader, Amah, and the controversial Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye.

Dino Melaye asked Keyamo to recite the second stanza of the National Anthem, to which the Senators shouted “Noooo!”

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, told Keyamo to disregard the statement by Melaye and ruled out the Kogi West senator saying what he did at a time he should ask questions was an order and not a question.

While snubbing therefore the Melaye’s irrelevant statement, Keyamo answered the questions asked by other senators.

More loudly of the responses of the human rights lawyer was the one bothering on judiciary reforms.

He said Supreme Courts should be established at regional level..

“Otherwise, some cases will never be resolved in the next 20 years. Our Supreme Court is the busiest in the world. I’ll unbundle the Supreme Court if appointed AGF,” he said.

Giving reasons for prison congestion, he said part of it is that judges are not allowed to review the cases of many people being detained without being taken to courts.

Suggesting the way out he said there must be amendment to the law that gave the Attorney General power not to prosecute if he so wishes adding that there must be a judicial review.

On what was referred to as mushroom parties, Keyamo said INEC should entertain only parties that have won something as small as a councillor.

On his philosophy, he said, “I don’t want to die until I have made great impression helping the poor.”

In the end, Mr. Festus Keyamo sosmuch dazzled the senators that even minority Peooles Democratic Party (PDP)’s Senator James Manager, from Delta State, sang his praises.

In his remarks, Senate President Lawan said that “Oyo State performed well yesterday (Thursday) and now Delta State.”

Lawan cracked a joke, “the two states will now contest to win the best screened nominee” pushing the Senators into huge laughters.

Keyamo took a bow and left and half the Senators saw him off.