For the second time in less than a week, the Senate this morning deferred the screening of Chibuike Amaechi, one of the 21 ministerial nominees in the first list submitted to the upper house by President Muhammadu Buhari on Spetember 30.

Amaechi and Oyo State nominee Adebayo Shittu are the only two on that list yet to be screened. Their screening was postponed due to petitions against them being investigated by the Senate Committee on Ethics while the nomination of Ahmed Isa Ibeto was withdrawn by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Expectations that the immediate past Rivers State governor, whoce nomination is being vehemently fought by his successor, Chief Nyesom Wike, were dashed when Senate Spokesman Dino Melaye announced that the Senate has decided to screen only three ministerial nominees today.

“This,” he said, “is in response to concerns that the screening exercise is not thorough enough.”

Senator Melaye said that since they still have 21 days to complete the exercise, they can take three or four nominees a day to ensure the screening process can be more “thorough and diligent.”

He disclosed that the remaining 18 ministerial nominees have been scheduled to be screened in batches today, Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday next week (Oct. 27) and Wednesday, Oct. 28. Amaechi is now expected to be screened tomorrow.

•Photo shows Amaechi.