Nigerian Senate begins screening, confirmation of Buhari’s Ministerial Nominees, as Akpabio, Akume, Amaechi, Mamora to “take a bow and go”

*Adegbite, Adamu, Onu speaks hope, says Nigeria is workable

*Nigerian universities recorded least strikes under Buhari – Adamu Adamu

*We have achieved a knowledge based economy for Nigeria – Onu

The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Wednesday commenced the screening of the 43 ministerial nominees which list was sent to it on Tuesday, July 24, by President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation.

The confirmation of the would-be ministers is the only item on the Senate Order Paper.

Recall that the President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan had on Tuesday said that the screening and confirmation of the nominees would begin on Wednesday, July 24.

He added that other legislative activities in the chamber would be suspended to ensure the speedy completion of the important assignment.

The duty of screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees is according to Section 147(2) of the 1999 Constitution.

Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator George Akume, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who are part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees were during Wednesday exercise asked to take a bow and go by the senate.

Being former senators, the lawmakers asked them to take a bow and go as they were well known.  The road to “taking a bow and go” was not however smooth for Amaechi as Senator Danjuma Goje raised a point of order to say that such benefit does not extent to members of House of Assembly.

Senate President Lawan however ruled against Goje, saying, “it may not be in the rule but once we have adopted it in this Senate, we must follow it to the last”. He then called for voice vote whereby the number of AYEs wanting Amaechi to “take a bow and go” surpassed the number of the “mischievous” NAYEs and the former eight-year Speaker and Governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation of the Republic was asked to take a bow and go.

Senator Emmanuel Oker-Jev who defeated George Akume moved that the Senate’s tradition of take bow and go for former senators be respected.

Akpabio, who was next after Akume was also asked to take a bow and go in the tradition of the Senate.

Wednesday screening exercise became an opportunity for former but sitting colleagues to celebrate the virtues of Olorunnimbe Mamora for his exemplary contributions to the nation’s Legislature and continued ambassadorial role painting the Nigerian Senate good as its eye everywhere. He was then asked to take a bow and go.

Of note however was Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi West, who was seen moving from place to instigate fellow Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) colleagues against particular ministerial nominees as clearly seen during the Amaechi’s screening.

Although Senate President Ahmed Lawan warned other such senators, he refused to be tempted to notice Melaye in the act.

Among others, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite from Ogun State, Mallam Adamu Adamu from Bauchi State and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu from Ebonyi State were screened and cleared at Wednesday exercise.

From responses by Adegbite to questions asked on the floor, there is light at the end of tunnel for Nigeria in matter of infrastructural development and housing deficit.

Mallam Adamu said a lot of things which showed that Nigeria has not been doing bad in terms of education development, even as he said teaching with mother tongue for basic education stage is a plan that is already on the table should next Minister of Education show interest.

Mallam Adamu, an accountant, journalist and columnist, talked of what he had done in the less than four years in office as Minister of Education which made Nigerian universities recorded the least strike actions under President Buhari Administration and added that, with what he has put in place, “Nigeria will never experience academic staff strike again”.

Dr. Onu gave a ray of hope from his achievements as Minister of Science and Technology saying today, Nigeria is moving towards becoming a knowledge based economy as he said he had moved research work from what it used to be to commercialisation and he gave examples.