The Nigeria Senate, Tuesday morning, again deferred the screening of embattled former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, being one of the 21 ministerial nominees in the first list submitted to the upper house by President Muhammadu Buhari on September 30.
While Amaechi and Oyo State nominee Adebayo Shittu’s screening were earlier scheduled to hold Tuesday, from last Wednesday, both are now the only remaining on the original list as in the case of Amaechi, who has two petitions hanging over his nomination as well investigations by the Senate Committee on Ethics.
The third nominee on the first list, Ahmed Isa Ibeto was withdrawn by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senate Spokesman Dino Melaye announced Senate’s decision to screen only three ministerial nominees Tuesday, saying: “This is in response to concerns that the screening exercise is not thorough enough.”
Senator Melaye said that since they still have 21 days to complete the exercise, they can take three or four nominees a day to ensure the screening process can be more “thorough and diligent.”
He disclosed that the remaining 18 ministerial nominees have been scheduled to be screened in batches Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday next week (Oct. 27) and Wednesday, October 28. Amaechi is now expected to be screened Wednesday.
