Ministerial Nominees: Anxiety As Senate Screens Wike, El-Rufai, Umahi, Others Today

There is currently anxiety among political stakeholders and concerned Nigerians as the Senate begin the screening of the 28 ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week.

THE PRESS had reported that President Tinubu, through his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, presented the much anticipated ministerial nominee list to Senate President Godswill Akpabio last week Thursday.

President Tinubu sent the list on Thursday to beat the 60-day constitutional deadline of July 28.

Though the Nigerian leader had noted in his letter to the Senate that a supplementary list of ministerial nominees should be expected.

Nominees who will be awarded different portfolios are usually drawn from across every state of the federation.

However, the list already sent to the Senate for screening was said to be drawn from 25 states only, comprising four former governors, six former federal lawmakers, two former lawmakers, three serving presidential advisers, and seven women, among others.

Ahead of the screening, the federal government had asked the nominees to complete their documentation at the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President at the National Assembly complex between Friday and Monday (today) to enable them to undergo the exercise.

On its part, the Nigerian Senate has assured a transparent approach in the screening of the ministerial nominees.

Speaking to journalists earlier, the Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, boasted that Nigerians would not be disappointed with how it would conduct the screening.

“This time, the screening will be very thorough. It is not going to be a situation where the screening will be anyhow. We are going to know the background of the nominees, and we are not going to disappoint Nigerians. It is not going to be a shallow screening. You must have character; you must have the face; you must have the behaviour to be among the cabin crew to fly Nigeria. This time around, Nigeria is going to be better,” Adaramodu said.

It is speculated that the screening for which the Senate shifted its annual recess may take a minimum of three days.

THE PRESS understands that the 109-member Senate is expected to grill the nominees on the value they will add to governance if confirmed.

Among those to be screened include the immediate past governors of Rivers State, Nyewom Wike and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.

Below are the ministerial nominees to be screened by the Nigerian Senate:

ABUBAKAR MOMOH – EDO STATE

YUSUF MAITAMA – BAUCHI STATE

Architect Umar Dangiwa – KATSINA STATE

Hannatu MUSAWA – KATSINA STATE

UCHE NNAJI – ENUGU STATE

BETA EDU – CROSS RIVER STATE

DORIS ANIETE UZOAKA – IMO STATE

DAVID UMAHI – EBONYI STATE

NYESOM EZENWO WIKE – RIVERS STATE

MOHAMMED BADARU ABUBAKAR – JIGAWA STATE

NASIL EL RUFAI – KADUNA STATE

EKPERIKPE EKPO – AKWA IBOM STATE

NKIRU ONYEJEOCHA – ABIA STATE

OLUBUNMI TUNJI OJO – ONDO STATE

STELLA OKOTETE – DELTA STATE

UJU KENNEDY OHANEYE – ANAMBRA STATE

BELLO MOHAMMED GORONYO – SOKOTO STATE

DELE ALAKE – EKITI STATE

LATEEF FAGBEMI – KWARA STATE

MOHAMMED IDRIS – NIGER STATE

OLAWALE EDUN – OGUN STATE

WAHEED ADEBAYO ADELABU – OYO STATE

IMAAN SULEIMAN IBRAHIM – NASARAWA STATE

PROF ALI PATE – BAUCHI STATE

JOSEPH OTSEN – BENUE STATE

SEN. ABUBAKAR KYARI – BORNO STATE

SEN JOHN ENO – CROSS RIVER

SEN SANI ABUBAKAR – TARABA STATE