Senate Ministerial Screening Enters Final Lap On Tuesday

The Nigerian Senate will on Tuesday resume the screening of ministerial nominees, which is expected to last for two days.

Eighteen nominees were screened last week before the Senate shifted the exercise to Tuesday.

One of the nominees expected to be screened on Tuesday is the former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, whose screening was shifted due to a petition against him, filed by a group in Rivers State over allegations of corruption and criminal breach of trust.

The petition was forwarded to the Senate Committee on Ethics Privileges and Public Petitions which is expected to submit its findings to the Senate before the screening begins on Tuesday.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, told reporters at the end of the committee’s meeting on Monday that the report of the petition against the nomination of Mr Amaechi would be submitted at plenary on Tuesday.

Mr Amaechi was billed to be screened last week but the Senate could not proceed with his screening, as the committee could not submit its report.

A federal lawmaker, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, however, told Channels Television that the Senate would not allow political sentiments interfere with the screening of Mr Amaechi.

The first list of nominees was sent to the Senate on September 30 by President Muhammadu Buhari while a second list was sent on October 12.

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, had said that the Senate would adopt measures that are in line with the provisions of the Constitution in carrying out the screening exercise.