Names of five more ministerial nominees sent to the Department of State Service (DSS) for screening by President Muhammadu Buhari have emerged.

News Express yesterday morning identified Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), a former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and a former finance commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Wale Edun, as some of the nominees on the closely-guarged list. A Vanguard report this morning also mentioned the three names, adding five more: Former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi; former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Festus Odimegwu; Abubakar Malami (SAN); former Chief of Army, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (retd.); and former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru.

Vanguard said it gathered from a source very close to the Presidency who pleaded anonymity that the aforementioned nominees had appeared before the DSS for their screening at the weekend.

“It was gathered that no fewer than 20 nominees had been so far screened by the DSS operatives since the exercise started,” the paper said.

It quoted a source as revealing that the screening process by the DSS involved conducting background checks on the careers of the nominees and operatives were also checking for records of the nominees with anti-graft and security agencies.

Buhari, who has been under fire for operating without a cbinet since assuming office on May 29, has promised to unveil his ministers this month.

•Photo shows one of the nominees, Prof. Pat Utomi.