Some nominees have stage fright, not that they’re not brilliant, senator pleads ahead of ministerial screening

By Shola Abayomi.

The Senate has postponed by a week, its planned two-month recess scheduled to commence this Friday, in order to screen the ministerial nominees submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

The Senate, according to the ad hoc committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, has maintained its resolve to thoroughly screen the nominees, adding that no nominee would be asked to ‘take-a bow’.

Adedeye pleaded with Nigerians to understand that some nominees might perform below expectations out of stage fright, and not because they are not brilliant.

He said: “We have postponed the recess till the end of next week. We are suspending a lot of our rules. Plenary normally does not hold on Fridays, plenary will hold on Friday this week and Monday next week in order to hasten the process.

“We want to do a thorough job and we want Nigerians to know that we are doing a thorough job. It is going to be a lot of sacrifice on our path.

“We are going to work in unusual hours, normally we sit from 10am to 2pm, that will not apply during this period of confirmation.

“We are going to sit till very late, virtually every day. On Friday, we will sit till we are tired. We will go on a brief recess and proceed until 10pm.

“We have given ourselves enough time, we will work in unusual hours.

“Those who usually will be asked to take a bow, this time round we will try as much as possible to ask them questions so they can explain to the public what they intend to do.

“We want Nigerians to witness the process. Please, I want to seek your indulgence that some have stage fright, not that they are not brilliant. Please try to understand a few of these issues.

“This Senate is a complete departure from the past. If we are to rush it, the process will not be thorough.”