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The ministerial screening of President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees for his cabinet has come and gone, but the memories of the widely televised event will linger on for a while.
The screening process which was characterised by drama, controversies, politicking, lobbying and protests gave Nigerians the opportunity to see first-hand how their various representatives are carrying out their duties in the upper chamber.
Naij.com monitored the screening process and observed the senators who contributed immensely to the question and answer session during the exercise.
1. Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara): The Senate president didn’t fail to contribute during the exercise which is commendable. Most of his questions were directed at the nominees the Senate gave special preference to (mostly former federal lawmakers) who even though they were asked to ‘bow and go’ were still subjected to questioning by the Senate president himself. Perharps, Saraki was aware that some Nigerians frowned at the ‘bow and go’ syndrome and made personal efforts to correct it.
2. Senator Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu): It is not for nothing that Ekweremadu is occupying the position of deputy Senate president for the third time in a row. His questions showed how experienced he is and how his long stay in the upper chamber has helped to make him a complete senator.
3, Senator George Akume (Benue): A two-term governor of the food basket of the nation, Benue, and a third-term senator, Akume has seen it all. And so when he asks questions, they are very deep and borne out of an experienced politician who has been in the executive and in the legislature.


4. Senator Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti): You can’t be a former deputy to Governor Ayo Fayose and not be smart. Olujimi is a woman that stands tall among her peers. The fact she is the only woman on the list says a lot about her personality. To cap it all, she is a first-term senator. The nominees she asked questions will no doubt remember her for unsettling them with her piercing questions.
5. Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos): If there is any politician who disregards his political background when asking questions, then Ashafa is the one. His question to Ekiti state former governor, Kayode Fayemi, about his time in office as a chief executive, shows that Ashafa despite being a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  is a well-groomed politician.
6. Senator Ali Ndume (Borno): When you are the Senate Leader, it shows that there is something extraordinary about you. Senator Ndume’s questions were very apt, direct, incisive and indeed filled with experience. The Borno lawmaker has no doubt justified his position in the red chamber.

7. Senator Bala Ibn’Allah (Kebbi): He is the deputy Senate leader. A lawyer by training, an experienced lawmaker and indeed a well-grounded politician. His questions to the nominees show that he knows his onions and is well aware of the challenges that confront Nigeria as a nation.
8. Senator Mao Ohabunwa (Abia): A very vocal senator, Ohabunwa’s questions showed that he understands perfectly the issues he raised as he not only asked the questions, he went further to analyse the root cause of the issues he made reference to.
9. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia): Senator Abaribe is a man who talks and everyone listens. Maybe because he used to be a spokesman of the Senate or because he used to be the deputy to one of Nigeria’s most vocal politician, Orji Uzor Kalu. All in all, Abaribe is intelligent and this was evident in the kind of questions he asked.
10. Senator Solomon Olamilekan (Lagos): Popularly called ‘Yayi’ in Lagos political circles, his facial expression when he asked Prof Isaac Adewole some questions shows how passionate he is about Nigeria. Perharps, it is his background as an experienced accountant, having seen the rot in the Nigerian economy or his 8 years in the House of Representatives that has shaped his thoughts which reflected in his brilliant questions.