The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, and 17 others as ministers of the federal cabinet.

As expected Amaechi’s confirmation created a division among senators of the two dominant parties, the  All Progressive Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with the later walking out on their colleagues to protest the former Rivers State governor’s confirmation.

Senate President Bukola Saraki had asked the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privilege and Petition, Samuel Anyanwu, to read the committee’s findings and recommendations on a petition against Amaechi to senators.

Dramas erupted in the upper legislative chamber when PDP senators insisted that the senators must debate the report submitted on Amaechi. The committee had said that it could not make any recommendations as to whether the nominee should be confirmed or not because of legal actions before the courts on the matter.

APC senators, led by the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, and Jide Omoworare put up a stiff opposition to the PDP senators’ position, insisting that since the allegations against Amaechi were being examined by a court, the senators could not deliberate on them and that his nomination had to go ahead.

The PDP senators later staged a walk out of the Senate chamber when it was obvious their APC colleagues were bent on pushing through the former governor’s confirmation as minister.

Also confirmed on Thursday are Adebayo Shittu, Isaac Adewole, Adijat Abba Ibrahim, Heineken Lokpobiri, Claudius Omoleye Daramola, Shehuri Mustapha, Ocholi James, Bawa Bwari, Geoffrey Onyeama, Zainab Ahmed and Monsur Mohammed Dan’Ali.

Usani Usani Uguru, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, Anwuka Anthony, Mohammed Musa Bello, Adamu Adamu and Aisha Abubakar completed the list.

Upon confirmation of the 36 ministerial nominees, Senate would be expected to send the list of confirmed ministers to President Muhammadu Buhari.