Power outage at ambassadorial nominees screening

 

There was a drama in the Senate on Tuesday as power outage almost stalled the screening of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The committee was screening the 7th nominee, Baba Ahmed Jidda from Borno State when the light went off at 12: 13 p.m.


The screening committee was forced to suspend proceedings abruptly.
Former Senate leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, advised the committee to continue the screening.
About three minutes later, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, asked the nominee to continue the exercise.

For over one hour, the screening committee used different gadgets such as rechargeable lamps, handset light to illuminate the room before power was restored at 1:06 p.m.
Sunmonu in her welcome address said the exercise was in line with the provision of section 171, Sub section 4 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as Amended) which vested the power of confirmation of person to be appointed as the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Senate.