Nigerian Senate Screens 10 Ministerial Nominees

The Senate on Tuesday, October 13, screened 10 ministerial nominees from the first list sent by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It is believed that at least two out of the three senators from each state must endorse the nomination of a ministerial nominee before the confirmation can be carried out.
However, the endorsement by two senators of a ministerial nominee would not be the only yardstick for confirmation, as the Senate will consider other criteria.
Senate President Bukola Saraki
But, with and 16 nominees from ‘batch B’, the screening exercise is billed to take three days.
Ten ministerial nominees were announced before noon, but shortly after the resumption of the plenary, the Senate moved into close-door session.
Speaking to newsmen, Dino Melaye, the spokesman of the upper chamber and the chairman of the Senate adhoc committee on publicity, said: “The decision to move into close sessions is because Senators want to meet first. We want to agree that those who have been members before, will be prioritized. We also want to look at the additional nomination, and adopt a modality for the screening process.
He continued: ”I want to assure Nigerians that the closed door session will be very short, and in the next one hour, the senate will proceed with the screening exercise.”
Cross section of senators
The senator was right. The closed-door session was short and the following order of screening has been announced:
1. Udo Udoma (Akwa-Ibom)
2. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)
3. Audu Ogbeh (Benue)
4. Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi)
5. Osagie Ehanire (Edo)
6. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano)
7. Lai Mohammed (Kwara)
8. Amina J Mohammed (Gombe)
9. Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa)
10. Ibrahim Jibril (Nasarawa)
Depute Senate President Ike Ekweremadu
With the Senate back to session, Senator Phillip Aduda raised a Point of Order on the need for the FCT to be represented in the Federal Executive Council. The Deputy President of the Senate Ike Ekweremadu supported the idea, adding that all the names of the ministerial nominees should be released with their respective states.
Meanwhile, Senate President Saraki has read the names of the
Naij.com brings you minute-by-minute account of the screening exercise below:
17:15: Bukola Saraki announces that the Senate plenary session is adjourned to Wednesday, October 14, 10am.
17:10: With all 10 nominees screened, Bukola Saraki gives a recap of the proceedings at its Committee of the whole.
17:07: Having answered series of questions. Ibrahim Jibril is told to take a bow.
17:05: Jibril says: “There has been policy inconsistency in the past 30 years in regards to land allocation.”
16:57: On land issues, Jibril says: “Land committees are not allowed to function at the appropriate time.”
16:48: Jibril is being quizzed by senators.
Ibrahim Jibril undergoing screening
16:45: Saraki asks Jibril to introduce himself.
16:40: Having answered series of questions, Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa state) is told to take a bow. Next to be screened and the last for today is Ibrahim Jibril (Nasarawa state).
16:39: Adamu says: “We must consult professionals to prevent collapse of buildings.”
16:38: Adamu says: “As a professional, my biggest calamity is to have an uncompleted project. If confirmed minister, my priority will be to look at all the uncompleted projects and complete them.”
16:30: Adamu says: “We need to really go into Public-Private partnership to attract investors from outside.”
16:25: More questions for Suleiman Adamu.
16:20: On bad roads, Adamu says: “There is need to conduct feasibility studies for projects. Project managers should always be carried along to ensure progress of projects carried out.”
16:15: On water resources, Adamu says: “There is need to invest money in water infrastructures.”
Suleiman Adamu undergoing screening
16:10: On employment, Adamu says: “I think the APC manifesto has been clear that they will be massive creation of employment. There should be emphasis on skill acquisition to improve employment of youths.”
16:02: Saraki asks Adamu to introduce himself.
16:00: After answering series of question. Mohammed is told to take a bow. Next to be screened is Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa state).
15:50: On the stock market, Mohammed says: “We need partnerships to develop this country and grow domestic relationships.”
15:44: Mohammed quizzed by senators.
Amina Mohammed undergoing screening
15:42: Saraki asks Amina J. Mohammed to introduce herself.
15:37: Without having to answer any question, a motion is moved for Mohammed to take a bow which is seconded. He takes a bow and leaves. Next to be screened is Amina J. Mohammed (Gombe state).
15:35: Lai Mohammed says: “I might have ruffled a few feathers in the course of my duties, it wasn’t personal. I believe four years is too small to stay in opposition, they might have to stay longer. It is service to be in opposition but its higher service to serve in government.”
Lai Mohammed told to take a bow without answering any questions
15:30: Lai Mohammed says: “The APC government will not be as harsh to the PDP as it was when his party was the opposition party.”
15:25: Saraki asks Lai Mohammed to introduce himself, but the senators demand he takes a bow and go. Saraki, however, insists the APC national publicity secretary must say something about himself.
15:20: Having answered series of questions, Dambazau is told to take a bow. Next to be screened is Lai Mohammed (Kwara state). In a move that brought comical reaction from senators, Alhaji Mohammed bowed to Saraki three times.
15:15: On unemployment, Dambazau says: “Youths come into the military come not just for a salary but to defend their Nation.”
15:08: Dambazau says: “Our soldiers need maximum support.”
15:00: Dambazau says: “I’m very passionate about the welfare of soldiers.”
14:52: On the conflict between farmers and herdsmen, Dambazau says: “We need to recapture our lost lands caused by desertification and erosion to reduce this conflict.”
14:46: More questions for Dambazau.
14:42: Dambazau says: “Allowances of soldiers need to be reviewed.”
14:35: Dambazau proposes a review of the defence policy.
14:30: Senator Ali Wakili and Senator Na’Allah open the floor of questions towards Lt. General (rtd.) Dambazau.
14:27: After introducing himself, Nigeria’s former chief of staff, Dambazau is quizzed.
Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano state) undergoing screening
14:25: Saraki asks Dambazau to introduce himself.
14:22: Enahire finally takes a bow after answering series of questions from the floor. Most questions for Ehanire were centered on health issues because of his background as a medical doctor. Next to be screened is Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano state).
14:15: Enahire says: “It is important to use money allocated to health efficiently.”
14:10: Enahire list problems of health care as: “Availability of equipment, trained staff affordability of the service.”
14:05: More questions are rolled out to Osagie Enahire.
14:02: Enahire says: “Issues of remuneration and health facilities should be addressed. There should be a proper communication system between the Government and young doctors.”
14:00: Enahire says: “The respect patients get from Private Hospitals should also be gotten in Public Hospitals. A doctor shouldn’t take decisions alone in complicated cases.”
13:55: Enahire says: “We lack a system of proper management in our hospitals. We need to ensure that orientation is given so patients can be treated with respect and dignity.”
13:51: Enahire says: “Attitudes of actors in the health sector should be addressed.”
13:47: Enahire says: “There is a crisis of confidence in the health sector.”
13:42: Senate extends time allotted for ministerial screening exercise. Session was to end 2pm, but has now been extended.
13:37: After introducing himself, Ehanire is quizzed by the senators.
Osagie Ehanire (Edo state)
13:35: Saraki asks Ehanire to introduce himself.
13:30: Having answered several questions, Onu is told to take a bow. Next is Osagie Ehanire (Edo state).
13:25: On employment, Onu says: “There is no way we can solve the problem of unemployment until we increase our production.”
13:22: Onu advocates diversification of power generation, he says: “We need to diversify power generation in Nigeria.”
13:18: After briefly introducing himself, Onu is quizzed by Senators Samuel Anyanwu, Kabiru Gaya and Danjuma Goje also ask Dr. Ogbonnaya
Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi state) undergoing screening.
13:16: Saraki asks Onu to introduce himself.
13:14: The minority leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio, cut short the session and pleaded for Audu Ogbeh to take a bow and go. Akpabio described Ogbeh as a donation from the PDP to the APC. Ogbeh is a former chairman of the PDP. Next is Chief Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi state).
13:12: Ogbeh says: “Every local government in Nigeria must have an extension office to teach people how to farm.”
13:10: Ogbeh says: “Since I left the government in 1983 I have been in school; the school of life learning about agriculture.”
13:05: Senators Aliyu Wammako, Abdullahi Adamu and Emmanuel Bwacha ask Chief Audu Ogbeh questions on his prior public involvements and agriculture.
13:00: Ogbeh says: “I’m here not because of anything new but because my President has deemed it fit for me to be part of his cabinet.”
Audu Ogbeh (Benue state) undergoing screening
12:57: Saraki asks Audu Ogbeh to introduce himself.
12:53: Having answered several questions, Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti state) has been screened successfully and finally takes a bow. It is now the turn of Chief Audu Ogbeh (Benue state).
12:52: Fayemi on Internal Security: “Our prisons have been saturated with people who do not have access to justice.”
12:50: Fayemi says: “Our security needs to address our Criminal Justice System, people don’t get punished for crime.”
12:48: Fayemi says: “Majority of our graduates have education but do not have work place skills and they need that.”
12:45: Fayemi on unemployment: “We had a youth empowerment scheme that paid graduates 10,000 naira every month.”
12:43: Fayemi says: “Poverty is the problem between the mindlessly rich and hopelessly poor.”
12:38: Fayemi says: “Poverty is not the problem of Nigeria but inequality.”
12:35: More questions are being rolled out to Fayemi. Questions on poverty and security.
12:30: Fayemi says: “We have not been able to do well in the technical and vocational part of our educational sector. We have a problem of enrolment. We need to do something about our curriculum and teacher quality. We need to do something about our educational quality and quality of our teachers. We need to make our public schools attractive and all this boils down to enrolment. President Buhari is doing a lot on foreign policy, recognising that our neighbours are our first call of interest.”
12:27: Fayemi says: “The government house in Ekiti is probably the cheapest government house in Nigeria. I did it for Ekiti state and not for myself.”
12:23: Fayemi says: “I did not borrow to pay salaries, I borrowed for capital projects.”
12:20: Fayemi says: “Road network in Ekiti and other infrastructures significantly improved while I was the governor.”
One of the ministerial nominees Kayode Fayemi undergoing screening
12:17: Kayode Fayemi says: “About the debt in Ekiti, I’ll like to say governance is a continuum, I met obligations in excess of 30 billion.”
12:14: Kayode Fayemi is being asked three questions. First from Professor Olusola Adeyeye who asks him to speak of his tenure as the Ekiti state governor in referral to several newspaper reports that he left the state in so much debt burden. Senator Shehu Sani also asked the nominee on his involvements in Radio Freedom and Radio Kudirat and how he escaped the hammer of the military junta. Senator Andy Uba was the third person to ask a question.
12:11: Saraki asks Kayode Fayemi to make introductions of himself. He speaks of his years as a governor saying: “I am delighted to be in front of this Senate”
12:10: Next nominee, former governor Kayode Fayemi, is invited for screening.
12:06: Having answered just one question, distinguished Senators ask the former Chief Whip, Senator Udoma, to take the bow which he does.
12:00: Udoma concludes his speech, but has been quizzed by Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Senator Udoma Udo Udoma
11:55: Saraki asks Senator Udoma Udo Udoma to make introductions of himself. He speaks of his 8-year tenure as a Senator. He says he is ready to “hit the ground running.”
11:53: The first nominee to go through the exercise is Senator Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom state). Udo Udoma is the former chairman of the UAC and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
11:52: The Senate has admitted former members of the senate and the chairman of the All Progressives Congress signaling the commencement of the screening exercise. The screening will go in this order: Udo Udoma, Kayode Fayemi , Audu Ogbeh, Ogbonnaya Onu, Osagie Ehanire, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Lai Mohammed, Amina J Mohammed, Suleiman Adamu, Ibrahim Jibril.
11;50: The Senate moves into a Committee of the Whole, as the mace is lowered.
11:48: The Senate is to begin the ministerial screening, as the Senate leader Ali Ndume moves the motion and the minority leader, Senator Akpabio, seconds.
11;45: The Senate accepts the two recommendations of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges & Public Petitions on the ministerial nominee Amina J Mohammed.
11:43: The committee recommends that since the nominee, Amina Mohammed, is from Gombe state and not Kaduna state, she should be cleared for the nomination.
11:42: Senator Samuel Anyanwu who chairs the committee reads the findings and recommendations of the Committee on the petitions against Amina Mohammed.
11:40: The Senate moves on to receive the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges & Public Petitions on the Ministerial nominee Amina J. Mohammed.
11:36: Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu also raises an issue on the floor as the Senate moves on for the presentation of four bills.
11:35: Senator Phillip Aduda raises a Point of Order on the need for the FCT to be represented in the Federal Executive Council.
11:30: The Senate president reads names of the second batch of ministerial nominees. They include Professor Adewole, Mrs. Abba Bukar et al…
11:20: Saraki makes announcements and starts reading the letter from the president on the second batch.
11:10: The Senate is now back in session
10:20: Senate President Saraki says that the Senate is to move into a closed session.
10:17: Senator Rose Okoji seconds the motion and the Votes and Proceedings are approved.
10:15: Senator Abdulrahman Abubakar moves the motion that the Votes and Proceedings of Thursday 8th October, 2015 be approved.
10:00: Senate President Bukola Saraki moves into the Chambers, greets fellow senators and says the prayers.

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