Senate to screen new ministerial nominees Today

The Senate is set to begin the screening process today for ministerial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu for confirmation.

According to reports, the nominees, having undergone clearance by the Department of State Services (DSS), gathered at the office of Senator Basheer Lado, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, to submit their curriculum vitae ahead of the deadline.

Among the early arrivals were nominees for the Ministries of Education, Trade and Investment, and Livestock, who turned in their resumes yesterday.

Senator Lado confirmed in a statement that the documentation process has officially begun, with the Senate’s screening and confirmation proceedings scheduled to start today.

The statement read: “He stated that the nominees were already submitting relevant documents as first in the series of procedures for the screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees.

“The nominees are expected to be screened and confirmed by the Senate in compliance with Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended).”

Recall that President Tinubu had written the Senate, seeking for the screening and subsequent confirmation of appointments of seven ministerial nominees announced in Abuja on Wednesday.

President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and read last Thursday during plenary.

According to the letter, the ministerial nominees were Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment and Bianca Odinaka Odumegu-Ojukwu, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs.

Others were Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Development; Idi Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State, Education.

President Tinubu in the letter had sought expeditious consideration of his request by the Senate.

Accordingly as announced by Akpabio, the Senate immediately referred the presidential request to the Committee of the whole for consideration.

He said: “Distinguished colleagues , the presidential request is referred to the committee of the whole for consideration very soon.”