December 11, (THEWILL) — The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on Thursday, screened and cleared a high-profile list of ambassadorial nominees, including former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; former Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd); former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang; and Senator Grace Bent.
Also cleared were former Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; and former Special Adviser on New Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, among several others, forwarded to the committee.
The screening exercise, conducted in batches of five nominees each, however, witnessed a brief drama between Senators Mohammed Ali Ndume and Adams Oshiomhole during the screening of former Presidential aide, Omokri.
Ndume had moved a motion for the nominees to “take a bow and leave”, in line with the Senate’s courtesy tradition. However, some senators signalled interest in making remarks, prompting the Committee Chairman, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, to recognise Oshiomhole.
Ndume immediately objected, insisting that his motion must be seconded before any further contributions could be entertained. The disagreement sparked a brief but heated exchange between the two senators, momentarily halting the session.
Order was eventually restored, and the committee proceeded to conclude the screening.
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