The Senate on Wednesday screened four ministerial nominees out of the eight names forwarded to the upper chamber of the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan. Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi through a motion seconded by the minority leader Senator Gorge Akume asked the Senate to dissolve into a committee of whole and consider the request of the President for the confirmation of the nominees as ministers
The four nominees that appeared before the Senate on Wednesday include Senator Patricia Akwashiki from Nassarawa State; and she was asked to take a bow as a former Senator.
Senate President Senator David Mark said the Senate has a tradition of not asking former Senators and asked if there was any Senator opposing the tradition and in the absence of any objection, Senator Akwashiki was asked to take bow. The Senate President urged her to represent the Senate in any ministry assigned to her.
Other nominees who appeared before the Senate were Professor Nicholas Akise Ada from Benue State, Retired Col. Augustine Okwudiri Akobundu from Abia State and Engr. Fidelis Nwankwo from Ebonyi State. They were all asked to take their bow respectively after responding to several questions asked by the Senators
The Senate however deferred the screening of four other nominees including Hauwa’u Lawan from Jigawa, Senator Mohammed Musiliu Obanikoro from Lagos, Kenneth Kobani from Rivers State and Senator Joel Danlami Iknenya from Taraba State to Tuesday next week
