Power fails at senate during screening

‎There was power failure for at least seven minutes during the screening of Usani Uguru, a ministerial nominee, at the senate on Tuesday.

Partial darkness enveloped the chamber, but the lawmakers continued the business of screening the nominee.

The power failure occurred while‎ Eyinnaya Abaribe, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator representing Abia south, raised a point of order seeking to know if the nominee had submitted his asset declaration forms.

But Senate President Bukola Saraki explained that the asset declaration forms of all the nominees‎ were in possession of the senate.

Uguru had earned the dander of‎ PDP senators when he said “God forbid” to a retort that he had once served in the PDP government.

However, Saraki gave him a soft landing by fencing off another point of order by Mao Ohuabunwa, a senator representing Abia north, challenging claims in the nominee’s CV.

He thereafter adjourned the senate to Wednesday.