Senate gets rowdy as Melaye asks Keyamo to recite second stanza of national anthem

Melaye's request was rejected by his colleagues with a thunderous no.

The third day of the ongoing ministerial screening was charged with drama and uproar as Senator Dino Melaye asked ministerial nominee, Festus Keyamo to recite the second stanza of the national anthem.

The senator representing Kogi west made the request on Friday, July 26, 2019, during ministerial screening.

Melaye, who said his relationship with Keyamo dated back to years, first sought the lawyer’s views on whether the powers of the attorney-general of the federation cover three interests: public interest, interest of justice and need to prevent abuse of legal process, TheCable reports.

Following this, Melaye asked Keyamo to recite the second stanza of the national anthem.

He said, “I just want to say that as a versatile minister, I know you to be intellectually mobile, you recite the second stanza of the national anthem.”

The senator’s request was however, rejected by his colleagues with a thunderous “no oooo”, but Melaye insisted even after his microphone was switched off.

The lawmaker said, “Mr Chairman, screening as it has been described is meant for us to screen the candidates…”

But the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan overruled Melaye, saying “That is not a question. So you have asked about two questions. You have asked very serious questions, so you can disregard the other part.”

The Senate started the screening of 43 ministerial nominees on Wednesday, July 24, 2019.