Senate announces screening date of ministerial nominees (See details)

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has said that the screening of 43 ministerial nominees forwarded to the upper legislative chamber for confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari will begin tomorrow Wednesday.

Lawan made the announcement on Tuesday after reading a letter from President Buhari containing the names of the nominees.

He said: “In view of the urgency of the assignment at hand, distinguished colleagues please be prepared with your questions for screening of the ministerial nominees from Wednesday  this week.

“As a result of the assignment , all other legislative activities should be suspended from today (Wednesday), to face the screening exercise squarely”.

The 43 nominees as forwarded by President Buhari include Ikechukwu Ogar  – Abia , Mohammed Musa Bello – Adamawa, Godswill Akpabio – Akwa Ibom, Dr. Chris Ngige – Anambra and Sharon Ikeazor – Anambra.

Others are Adamu Adamu – Bauchi State,  Maryam Katagum – Bauchi , Timipre Sylva – Bayelsa, George Akume – Benue,  Mustapha Baba Shehuri – Borno, Godie Jerry Agba – Cross River,  Festus Keyamo – Delta , Ogbonnaya Onu – Ebonyi and Dr. Osagie Ehanire – Edo State.

Also on the list are Clement Agba – Edo State, Adeniyi Adebayo – Ekiti, Geoffrey Onyeama – Enugu, Ali Pantami – Gombe, Emeka Nwajuba – Imo, Sulaiman Adamu – Jigawa, Zainab Ahmed – Kaduna, Mohammed Mahmud – Kaduna, Hadi  Sirika – Katsina and Abubakar Malami – Kebbi State.

The rest include, Sabo  Nanono – Kano, Maj  Gen Bashir Saleh (rtd) – Kano, Rahmatu Tijani – Kogi , Lai  Mohammed – Kwara , Gbemisola Saraki – Kwara, Olorunnibe Mamora – Lagos , Babatunde Fashola – Lagos , Muhammed Abdullahi – Nasarawa and Subairu Dada – Niger State.

Others are Olamilekan Adegbite – Ogun, Tayo Alasoadura – Ondo, Rauf Aregbesola – Osun, Sunday Dare – Oyo, Paulen Tallen – Plateau, Rotimi Amaechi – Rivers,  Mohammed Maigeri Dengaji – Sokoto,  Saleh Momoh – Taraba, Abubakar D Aliyu – Yobe and Sadiya Umar Farouq – Zamfara State .

While each of the 36 states of the federation in line with constitutional provisions, has at least one nominee; seven out of them, have two nominees.

The states with two nominees are Anambra, Bauchi, Edo, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos and Kano.

Also from the list, 11 out of the 36 ministers who worked with President Muhammadu Buhari during his first term (2015- 2019); made the list for second opportunities.

Those in this category are Rotimi Amaechi, Lai Mohammed, Ogbonnaya Onu, Babatunde Fashola and Abubakar Malami.

Others are Zainab Ahmed, Adamu Adamu, Geoffrey Onyeama, Hadi  Sirika, Mohammed Bello and Dr Chris Ngige.

Making surprise appearance on the list are, the spokesperson of Buhari’s campaign, Barrister Festus Keyamo, immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediate past governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, former deputy governor of Plateau State, Paullen Tallen, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, Chief Timpre Silva and junior sister to immediate past Senate President, Mrs. Gbemisola Saraki.

Others include the chairman of National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Senator Adeleke Mamora, deputy national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC (South), Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, an Executive Commissioner of the Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, Sunday Dare and executive chairman of the Pension Transition Administrative Department, PTAD, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor.