Senate begins screening Oct. 13
Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday unveiled the long-awaited presidential ministerial nominees.
There are 21 nominees from 21 states. Three women are listed.
Some of the nominees expressed optimism about the team and their readiness to deliver the good government desired by the people.
Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi described his nomination as “a call to service and good governance”.
Another nominee and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi said: “It’s about change. We are going to offer real change.”
But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lampooned the list, saying it was not excited by it.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh, the PDP said: “By a mere look at the list, one can tell that there is nothing to be excited about, especially considering the length of time it took the President to come up with it.
“Looking at the list, it is hard to put a finger on why it should take any serious-minded and focused government six months after its election to assemble such a regular team.”
The Labour Party (LP) condemned the list for not representing the youth.
The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam,said most of the names on the list were analogue people who have nothing to contribute.
He wondered why President Buhari could not fulfill the promise he made to Nigerian youths during the electioneering campaign.
“For us in the Labour Party, we do not see anything that resembles change as far as the ministerial team is concerned. Imagine bringing someone who served in the government of the late Sarduana of Sokoto to serve as minister in 2015.
“All these people are analogue persons who cannot bring about any change under the current dispensation,” Abdulsalam said.
The Senate gallery was unusually crowded following heightened expectation of probable names of nominees.
The Senate President entered the chamber around 10.37am. He said the prayer to open the day’s business.
Immediately the votes and proceedings of September 30 were approved, Saraki announced that he received a correspondent from President Muhammadu Buhari by 5.15 pm on October 30.
The Senate President said he decided to put the time he received the correspondent because of the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who during the sitting of the Senate on September 30, demanded to know why the list was not read.
Saraki said the correspondent contained a partial list of ministerial nominees which he received from Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.
Before Saraki unveiled the list, anxiety among those in the gallery showed in the looks on many faces.
The tension suddenly evaporated immediately the first few names were read and they turned out be what had already been published in the newspapers.
Saraki said President Buhari requested the Senate to approve the nominees expeditiously.
The Senate President announced Abubakar Malami (SAN) (Kebbi), Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau (Kano), Senator Aisha Jumai Al-hassan (Taraba), Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Kwara), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Adebayo Shittu, a lawyer (Oyo), Solomon Dalong (Plateau), Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige (Anambra), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Chief Audu Ogbeh (Benue), Amina Ibrahim (Kaduna)and Osagie Ehanire( Edo) as the ministerial nominees.
Others are Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu (Delta), Kemi Adeosun (Ogun), Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi), Ahmed Isa Ibeto (Niger),Ibrahim Musa Jubrin ( ), Senator Hadi Sirika (Katsina), Senator Udoma Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom) and Sulaiman Adamu (Jigawa.)
Immediately Saraki concluded reading the list, there was protest in the chamber.
Some senators shouted that their states were left out.
Minority Leader, Akpabio took to the floor and promptly moved a point of order.
He said since it took President Buhari four months to submit to the Senate what he (Buhari) tagged “partial ministerial nominees list”, it was likely the President would take another four months or more to submit the complete list of nominees.
The former Akwa Ibom State governor prayed the Senate to compel President Buhari to submit the complete list before the screening of the nominees would begin.
He insisted that his fear was that states not accommodated in the list might be forgotten.
Saraki said President Buhari should be given the benefit of the doubt.
The Senate President noted that since President Buhari kept his September deadline to submit the list to the Senate, he was sure the President would send the second batch of nominees.
Although the assurances of the Senate President did not quite reassure most of the Senators, Saraki announced that the screening of the nominees would begin on October 13.
He said before the scheduled date, the nominees would have submitted their curriculum vitae to the Senate for circulation to senators.
The Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, said the Senate was expecting nothing less than 36 ministerial nominees, one from each state of the federation.
He said: “Any time from now, we are expecting the remaining nominees. Mr. President is a man of his words and a man of integrity. He will send the remaining list of nominees any time from now. We are expecting nothing less than 36 nominees, one from each state of the federation.”
Melaye noted that because of their promise to do a rigorous exercise, the Senate decided to begin the screening on October 13.
He added that while they wanted to expedite the screening, there was equally the need to be diligent.
He said beginning from Thursday, Senators would be furnished with the CVs of the nominees to enable them study the CVs and to prepare themselves to ask questions.
Melaye said the Senate would be glad to have the proposed portfolios of the nominees.
He said the screening would be broadcast live on Tuesday and Thursday.
He reiterated that the screening would not be teleguided by political affiliation “because we want to do it in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians will appreciate us”.
Melaye said that it was not true that President Buhari would be invited for screening if he decides to be Minister of Petroleum.
He described the information as unfounded, adding that “the information is the personal view of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, which he is entitled to”.
The Senate spokesman said any petition against any nominee would be looked into.
Source: THE NATION
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