Shock and disbelief dogged the Senate screening of ambassadorial nominees in Abuja yesterday.

Five of the nominees failed the test when asked to recite the National Anthem, the National Pledge as well as the capital of Lagos State and the number of local government councils in Delta State.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on June 9 this year forwarded the names of 47 career ambassadors to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

One of the nominees from Niger State, Ibrahim Isah, when asked to recite the National Pledge instead of saying, “to defend her unity, and uphold her honour and glory” in the 4th and 5th stanza, said, “to defend her unity and integrity.”

Also, when the chairman of the committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu asked the nominee from Anambra State, Vivian Okeke, to recite the national anthem, she omitted “One nation bound in freedom” in the last stanza.

Similarly, when the nominee from Benue, Jane Ada Ndem, was asked 12 states and their capitals, she gave the capital of Lagos as Lagos and not Ikeja. Baba Garba also had issue with the recitation of the National Pledge. Another nominee, Janet Omoleegho Olisa, when asked about the number of local government councils in her home state, Delta said, “honestly I don’t know.” But one of the committee members, James Manager, helped her out with the figure, saying, “It is 25.”

The nominees that were screened yesterday are Vivian Nwunaku Okeke (Anambra), Enoch Pear Duchi (Kaduna), Ibrahim Isah (Niger), Hakeem Balogun (Lagos) Jane Ada Ndem (Benue) Sakirat Ogundero (Oyo), Lilian Ijeukwu Onoh (Enugu), Kenneth Nwachukwu (Imo) and Baba Garba (Kano).

Others are Audu Ayinla Kadiri (Kwara), Rabiu Akawu (Kano), Salisu Umaru (Adamawa), Janet Omoleegho Olisa (Delta), Hassan Mohammed Hassan (Borno) and Manaja Tula Isah (Gombe)

While reacting, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Senator Ita Enang said: “May I state that the nominees were able to respond to questions asked them and also recited the National Anthem and Pledge when called upon. As such, the report by the media is incorrect.”

“Subjecting them to criticisms at this point over a situation, which never happened in the first place is most unfair and uncalled for,” Enang insisted.

The screening continues today