SENATORS have begun towing over President Muhammadu Buhari's list of ministerial nominees before the process even starts with yesterday's session thrown into disarray following a petition against former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi. 

Earlier this week, senate president Bukola Saraki read out the list of the 21 nominees President Buhari has selected for screening. Although the formal process will not begin until next week, the senate has become divided over the nomination of Governor Amaechi after Senator George Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Rivers East Senatorial District submitted a petition against the former governor. 

In the petition supposedly written by people from his senatorial district, Senator Sekibo accused the former governor of fraud and corruption. However, senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) shouted him down and it took the intervention of the senate chief whip Olusola Adeyeye, to restore order. 

All of the three senators representing Rivers State in have kicked off plot to stop the confirmation of the former governor with the submission of an 88-page petition against him. Senators George Sekibo (Rivers East), Olaka Nwogu (Rivers South-East) and Osinakachukwu Ideazu (Rivers West) have all demanded that Governor Amaechi should not be confirmed as a minister.

 Senator Sekibo who submitted the petition on behalf of his two other colleagues said it was written by a non-governmental organisation known as The Integrity Group based in Port Harcourt. Titled Petition against ministerial nominee- Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi: Demand to withdraw and reject his nomination and appointment on the grounds of corruption, criminal breach of trust, unlawful enrichment and conversion of over N70bn (£229m) Rivers peoples’ monies by the former governor of Rivers State, it was signed by Livingstone Wechie on behalf of the group. 

In spite of the strong protests, Senator Sekibo read the synopsis of the petition which he said bordered principally on allegations of corruption and criminal breach of trust against Governor Amaechi. Senate president Bukola Saraki later referred the petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges for consideration.

 Governor Amaechi is already the subject of a judicial probe of enquiry instituted by incumbent Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike. He is being accused of mismanaging the state's funds when he was governor but claims that the allegations are politically motivated by the PDP.