A former governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, and other ministerial nominees appeared before the Senate as the screening exercise enters its fourth day.
Oyetola was the first to be screened on Friday, mounting the podium at 12:14 pm.
The other nominees for screening include former Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi).
Also to be screened are Abdullahi Gwarzo, Bosun Tijani, Isiak Salako, Tunji Alausa, Yusuf Sununu, Ibrahim Geidam, Lola John, Shuaibu Audu, Tahir Mamman, Aliyu Abdullahi, Alkali Saidu, Heineken Lokpobori, Maigari Ahmadu, and Zephaniah Jisalo.
The screening exercise was later adjourned to Saturday.
Before the plenary session commenced, it was revealed that President Bola Tinubu had replaced one ministerial nominee, Maryam Shetty, choosing two others, Festus Keyamo and Dr Mariga Mahmoud.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio disclosed this in a letter from the President read out on the floor of the red chamber.
The upper chamber on Monday screened 14 of the first batch of ministerial nominees, including 28 names, forwarded by the President last Thursday.
Those screened included former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Abubakar Kyari from Borno State; Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia State); Bello Muhammad (Sokoto State); Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State); and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa State).
Others are Joseph Utsev (Benue State), Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo State), Betta Edu (Cross River State), Uju Kennedy Ohaneye (Anambra State), Abubakar Momoh (Edo State), John Enoh (Cross River State), Iman Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa State), and Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi State).
The Senate on Tuesday screened nine nominees, including ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Wale Edun, Uche Nnaji, Stella Okotete, Adebayo Adelabu, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Hannatu Musawa, and Musa Dangiwa.
The exercise resumed on Wednesday with the screening of presidential spokesman Dele Alake, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Lateef Fagbemi, Muhammad Idris, Ali Pate, and Doris Uzoka.
Later, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila submitted Tinubu’s supplementary ministerial list with 19 nominees to the Senate.
Section 147 (3) of the 1999 Constitution mandates the President to appoint at least one minister from each of the 36 states. However, 11 states – Adamawa, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Osun, Yobe, Plateau and Zamfara — and the Federal Capital Territory don’t have ministerial nominees yet.
Credit: Channels Television
