We Prune Down Nominees To Three For Thorough Screening - Melaye

The chairman of Senate ad hoc committee on publicity, Dino Melaye has revealed why the names of ministerial nominee were reduced from eight to three. The Senate has listed eight nominees to be screened by the Senate today, October 20. The names earlier listed in the order paper for the plenary were Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Heineken lopkobiri, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Khadija Abba Ibrahim, Bawa Bwari, Ocholi Enojo James, Mansur Muhammed and Zainab S. Ahmed. However, another order paper emerged showing that only three nominees will be screened by the Senate from the eight. The former governor of Rivers state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who was listed number three in the first order paper was conspicuously missing. The new list was later released few hour after the commencement of the plenary showly only the names of Shittu, Ibrahim and Daramola as the nominees that will be screened. Explaining the reason for the reduction of the nominees to three, Melaye said that after monitoring the pulse of Nigerians where the Senate was seen as rushing the screening of ministerial nominees, the principal officers met in the early hour of today to take the decision. 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 are 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.” Meanwhile, senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress following its meeting last night, October 19, have taken a decision on a fate of Amaechi. The APC senators said: “We are determined not to allow the PDP stop the confirmation of Amaechi. We are determined to ensure that he is confirmed because there is no reason for him not to be confirmed.”