The Senate yesterday confirmed nomination of Mr. Anthony Mkpe Ayine as federal auditor general.
This followed the report by its Public Accounts Committee, led by Andy Uba, on Tuesday.
Uba said there were petitions against Ayine’s nomination, but argued that none raised issues about the competence of the nominee.
Objection raised by Senator Binta Garba (APC-Adamawa), concerning some issues in the petitions were waived by lawmakers.
Part of Garba’s arguments was that Ayine is a relation of the incumbent Federal Head of Service Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, and that she influenced his nomination.
Garba pointed out the anomaly in confirming Ayine, who was on Grade Level 13 in the service of a Local Government in Cross River State.
The position of federal auditor general is a Grade Level 17 appointment, more so as the new man would preside over officials of Grade Level 15 and above.
Garba said: “Given his position as ‘local government auditor’, he would be placed at Grade Level (GL) 14 after conversion to federal service, whereas the law specifies GL 17 as requirement for the Office of Federal Auditor-General”.
But Minority leader Godswill Akpabio rose in Ayine’s defence, saying many of the petitions referred to by Garba were misleading.
Akpabio said Ayine was a state’s auditor in charge of the local governments in Cross River State, and not an auditor for one local government.
He added that after confirmation, Ayine would move to Grade Level 17, which he said, was at par with a permanent secretary.
The Senate Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan (Yobe) and George Sekibo (Rivers), agreed with Akpabio’s submissions.
They pleaded with their colleagues to confirm the nominee, saying his nomination went through oral and written interviews.
His nomination received the support of lawmakers when Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu called for voice vote.