THE Senate on Monday commenced the screening of the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees forwarded by President Bola Tinubu, interviewing 14 of them.
The screening commenced at the upper chamber during a plenary session that started around 12:41 pm upon the arrival of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Among those screened were former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and former governor of Jigawa, Badaru Abubakar; Abubakar Kyari from Borno State; Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia State); Bello Muhammad (Sokoto State) and Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State).
Others are Joseph Utsev (Benue State), Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo State), Betta Edu (Cross River State), Uju Kennedy Ohaneye (Anambra State), Abubakar Momoh (Edo State), John Enoh (Cross River State), Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim (Nasarawa State), and Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi State).
Nominees who are former senators were asked to take a bow and excused while several others were scrutinised by the senators.
After senators were screened, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion for the Senate to revert to plenary to report progress. The Senate Minority Leader, Darlington Nwokocha, seconded the motion and it was carried.
Afterwards, the Senate President adjourned the plenary till Tuesday.
News Point Nigeria reports that, the Senate will screen ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) as well as 12 other ministerial nominees today.
Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake; Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lateef Fagbemi; will also be screened by the red chamber today.
Others are Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa, Uche Nnaji, Stella Okotete, Adebayo Adelabu, Muhammad Idris, Ali Pate, Doris Uzoka, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Hannatu Musawa.
Today’s screening will begin shortly.