In furtherance of the duty of the Senate to screen ministerial nominees, today there was a rowdy session at the Senate when Festus Keyamo a ministerial nominee was asked to recite the second stanza National Anthem by a Dino Melaye representing Kogi West.
Melaye made the request while asking the nominee questions during the ministerial screening.
The senator acknowledged his friendship with the nominee since time immemorial.
He first sought the views of Keyamo on whether the powers of the attorney-general of the federation cover three interests: public interest, interest of justice and need to prevent abuse of legal process.
Melaye then asked Keyamo to recite the second stanza of the national anthem.
“I just want to say that as a versatile minister, I know you to be intellectually mobile, you recite the second stanza of the national anthem,” he said.
The request was met with a thunderous “no oooo” but Melaye stood his ground even after his microphone was switched off.
Shouting on the top of his voice, the Kogi lawmaker said: “Mr Chairman, screening as it has been described is meant for us to screen the candidates…”
But Senate President Ahmad Lawan overruled Melaye.
“That is not a question. So you have asked about two question. You have asked very serious questions, so you can disregard the other part,” he said.
