The Senate has revealed that the number of the ministerial nominees scheduled for screening on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 was reduced from eight to three because they want to satisfy the nationwide demand for thoroughness in the screening process.
The Senate made the reduction after it had earlier announced that the following 8 nominees were to be screened: Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Heineken Lopkobiri, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Khadija Abba Ibrahim, Bawa Bwari, Ocholi Enojo James, Mansur Muhammed and Zainab Ahmed.
Speaking on behalf of the upper chambers, the Chairman of the Senate ad-hoc committee on ,edia and publicity, Senator Dino Melaye availed that the principal officers of the Senate had met and taken a decision in the early hours of Tuesday.
He said: “Basically, the reason why we reduce the number of nominees is because we responded to the agitations of Nigerians. We have monitored the reactions of Nigeria of the ministerial screening process and many believe we rushing the process and it’s no longer thorough as they would desire. So by that, we have agreed we should reduce the number to three or four per day, so that Nigerians will appreciate those that are going to be their ministers.”
The Senate also availed that it had to postpone the much-anticipated screening of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi for the thrid time because the Senator Sam Anyanwu-led Senate committee on Ethics and Priviledges was yet to submit its report on the charges of corruption submitted against him.
