Amaechi Missing As Senate Screens 2 Ministerial Nominees

The Senate today, October 20, conducted another round of ministerial screening as two ministerial nominees entertained questions raised on the floor of the House.

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Out of the first 21 nominees from ‘batch A’, 19 have been screened while one nominee from Batch B has also been screened. With the statistics, 15 nominees from ‘batch B’, and one from the first list is yet to be quizzed.

18 ministerial nominees who have been confirmed are: Udoma Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom state), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti state), Audu Ogbeh (Benue state), Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi state), Osagie Ehanire (Edo state), Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano state), Lai Mohammed (Kwara state), Amina J Mohammed (Gombe state), Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa state), Ibrahim Jibril (Nasarawa state), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos state), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu (Delta state), Abubakar Malami (Kebbi state), Chris Ngige (Anambra state), Aisha Jummai Alhassan (Taraba state), Solomon Dalong (Plateau state), Kemi Adeosun (Ogun state), Hadi Sirika (Katsina state).

But President Muhammadu Buhari withdrew the name of immediate past deputy governor of Niger state, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, from the list of nominees.

However, former governor of Rivers state Rotimi Amaechi who was earlier tipped to witness the proceeding today, couldn't undergo screening by the Senate. There were speculation that Amaechi was to be screened today due to the report from the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public petition. But members of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) had filed a court order against him last Thursday, October 15.

Legit.ng was live at the Red Chamber to bring you minute-by-minute account of the proceedings.

13:40: Having concluded today's proceedings, the Senate moves the motion for the adjournment of the plenary session till tomorrow, October 21.

13:38: Senate now moves out of its Committee of the whole back to Plenary as the last nominee for ministerial screening, Claudius Daramola (Ondo state) couldn't be quizzed.

13:34: After speaking of her pedigree, lineage and enormous involvement in Politics & Government, Khadijah Bukar Abba Ibrahim is told to bow and go without having to answer any question.

13:30: Khadijah Bukar Abba Ibrahim is also currently serving as member of the House of Representatives from Yobe state.

13:26: Saraki asks Khadija Abba Ibrahim to introduce herself. She is the wife of a serving senator, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim a former governor of Yobe state and she acknowledges his presence.

13:25: Next nominee to be screened is Khadija Abba Ibrahim (Yobe state).

13:20: Having answered series of questions, Barrister Adebayo Shittu is told to bow and go.

13:15: On Boko Haram insurgency, Shittu says: "Even if Boko Haram claims to be muslim, all they've being doing is unislamic."

13:07: More questions for Barrister Shittu

13:04: Shittu says: "I had nothing to do with Ife-Modakeke Crisis. It is not even part of Oyo state."

13:00: Shittu says: ''The hajj tragedy was the fault of Saudi authorities and not Nigerian pilgrims."

12:58: Shittu says: 'When I was Attorney General of Oyo state, I did two major things. I brought in people to train all Judicial Officers and I gave Vehicle grants of N1million to Judicial Officers."

12:57: Shittu says: "Ajimobi is a brother and friend."

12:55: Shittu says: "I was schemed out of the merger process in Oyo state APC and I challenged the exercise in court. I withdrew the case when Mr Ocholi (SAN) from Kogi state intervened on behalf of President Buhari."

12:53: Shittu says:  On the issue of herdsmen, Shittu says: "We will establish cattle ranches at the LG Level, State Level and FG Level."

12:48: More questions for Barrister Adebayo Shittu at the floor of the Senate.

12:47: Shittu says: "One of the objectives of free education is to produce citizens who will respect law and order'' 

12:45: Shittu says: "Religion must be made compulsory in our institutions."

12:42: On youth restiveness, Shittu says: "Youth must be engaged with education to curb restiveness. Anybody who is educated will not engage in excesses."

12:40: Shittu says: "On the issue of Sports; i'll ensure that grass root sports is brought up to the optimum."

12:37: Shittu says: "'One of our policies is that Children in Schools will be given a free meal a day. Poverty has become endemic in Nigeria and most parents do not have 10Naira to give to their Children."

12:35: Shittu says: "'I believe that the constitution & manifesto of APC captures adequately all the issues of Change."

12:29: Shittu says: "I have always had an abiding faith in the need for Nigeria to be morally right."

12:25: Shittu says: "I'll do the utmost that Nigeria gets the best of our culture."

12:22: Shittu says: "I have written seven standard books because I believe life must be about service to God."

12:20: Shittu says: "I have never been indicted by any panel."

12:16: Shittu is now being quizzed by Senators.

12:14: Shittu says: "I started my politics from the day of Chief Obafemi Awolowo."

12:12: Shittu says: "In my 36 Years of being in Politics, I have served in every sector of the Nigerian Governance Structure."

12:10: Shittu says: "'If my nomination is confirm, i'll do my very best. I will disappoint the Nigerian Senate, the President and the Nigerian people."

12:08: Senate President Bukola Saraki asks Shittu to introduce himself.

12:07: First to be screened today is Barrister AbdulRaheem Adebayo Shittu (Oyo state).

12:03: The Senate moves to committee of a whole to conduct the ministerial screening.

12:00: The Senate resolves to send a high powered delegation to condole with the family, people and government of Bayelsa state as a minute silence is observe for Late D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha.

11:55: It is not the turn of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and Senator Jonah Jang to speak about Late D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha.

11:47: Dino Melaye, the chairman Senate Adhoc Committee on publicity, has revealed why the Senate will be screening only three senators. 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."

11:45: Senator George Akume takes his turn to list D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha feats as he pays tribute to the former Bayelsa state governor.

11:42: It's now the turn of Senator George Sekibo to bid farewell to Late D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha.

11:35: Senator Barnabas Gemade lists the achievements of Late D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha.

11:26: The Senate now moves to debate the Motion on the Demise of Former Bayelsa Governor, D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha.

11:22: The other bills include: FCT Water Board (Est. Etc) Bill 2015 (SB. 70) by Senator Phillip Aduda (FCT),  Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Servive Bill 2015 (SB.81) by Senator Sonni Ogbuji (Ebonyi South), Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2015 (SB. 89) by Senator David Umaru (Niger East), Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Acts, CAP D3 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2015 (SB. 98) by Senator Dino Melaye, Non Governmental Organizations Regulatory Bill 2015 (SB 111) by Senator Duro Faseyi of Ekiti North Senatorial District, Students' Financial Aid Scheme (Est. Etc.) Bill 2015 by Senator Isa Hamman Misau of Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill 2015 (SB. 113) by Senator Rose Oko (Cross River North), Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill 2015 (SB. 116) by Senator Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti south),  Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Acts CAP D3 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2015 (SB 119) by Senator Theodore Orji

11:20: The Senate Leader and the Clerk of the Senate moves ahead for the Presentation of Ten (10) Bills for their respective First Readings. First on the list is the Anti - Criminal Gang Bill 2015 (SB. 39) by Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North)

11:17: Sen. Athan Achonu presents a petition against the nominee from his state (Imo), Prof. Anthony Anwuka to the Senate.

11:13: Senator Dino Melaye also raises a Point of Order on a Matter of Urgent Public Importance - The Second Abuja Airport Runway. The Senate however moves that the matter be discussed tomorrow.

11:11: But the House moves that the matter should be discussed tomorrow, October 21.

11:10: Senator Oluremi Tinubu raises a Point of Order on a Matter of Urgent Public Importance regarding the State of the Apapa Road/Bridge. She says the matter is affecting the economy of the state. She however urges the Senate to discuss the matter.

11:07: The Order paper shows that the Senate will however screen only three ministerial nominees today. Rotimi Amaechi's name is excluded from the 3 ministerial nominees the Senate is likely to screen for confirmation today. The three nominees are Adebayo Shittu, Khadija Abba Ibrahim and Claudius Daramola.

11:02: Senate President Bukola Saraki announces that Mr. Nelson has been appointed has the deputy clerk of the Senate

11:00: Senate President Bukola Saraki takes the official prayer.

10:58: The Senate Leadership comes into the Plenary.

10:25: Some of the Ministerial nominees have arrived at the National Assembly and the Senate is set to begin plenary session at 11am

Source: Legit.ng