…. As Senate screens 23 nominees
There was mild drama in the Senate Tuesday, as power outage disrupted the screening of non-career ambassadorial nominees by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
This comes as the Committee screened 23 out of the 46 nominees on Tuesday.
Pandemonium ensued when power outage halted proceedings at the screening of the seventh nominee, Baba Ahmed Jidda from Born State at about 12:13pm.
The situation lasted for close to one hour with different gadgets like phones and rechargeable lamps illuminating the room before power was restored at exactly 1:06pm.
One of the nominee from Zamfara State Garba Gajam, called on the Federal Government to review its foreign policy, saying Nigeria has been liberal to some countries and stressed the need for a robust foreign policy.
Those screened include: Goni Modu Zanna Bura (Yobe), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Ahmed Ibeto (Niger), Kabiru Umar (Sokoto), Baba Madugu (Bauchi), Baba Ahmad Jidda (Borno), Justice George Adesola Oguntade (Lagos), Garba Gajam (Zamfara), Bala Mohammed Mairiga (Zamfara), Christopher Okere (Anambra), Etuborn Asuquo (Cross River)and Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara).
Others are: Amin Muhammad Dalhatu (Jigawa), Ahmed Nuhu Bamali (Kaduna), Professor Dandatti Abdulkadir (Kano), Justice Isa Dodo (Katsina), Professor Mohammed Yisa (Kwara), Mrs Modupe Irele (Lagos), Suzanne Folarin (Ogun), General Ashimiyu Olaniyi (Oyo), Oriji Ngofa (Rivers), Jonah Odo(Ebonyi) and Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti).
Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Monsurat Sunmonu, said the screening exercise was in line with the provision of section 171 (4) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) which vested the power of confirmation of persons to be appointed as the Ambassador of Nigeria to the Senate.
In November 9, 2016, the Senate rejected the nominees due to over 250 petitions to its panel on Foreign Affairs.
The screening exercise continues today.
