Senate sets date to start screening, confirmation of Tinubu’s ministerial nominees

The Nigerian Senate is set to begin screening seven individuals nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ministerial positions next Tuesday.

IDOMA VOICE reports that the ministerial nominees for Senate consideration and approval include Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction), Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour & Employment), Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (State Foreign Affairs), and Dr. Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment).

The other nominees are Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development), Yusuf Ata (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad (State Education).

This will be the first instance of portfolios being attached to nominees before their ministerial screening.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Tinubu’s letter on Thursday, requesting that the Red Chamber consider the nominees for necessary screening and confirmation. In the letter, the president urged the Upper Legislative Chamber to give expeditious consideration to his request.

Akpabio referred the presidential request to the Committee of the Whole for accelerated evaluation. “Distinguished colleagues, the presidential request is referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration very soon,” he stated.

A principal Senate member told ThisDay that the upper chamber would start screening the nominees on Tuesday. “Since the request arrived on the Senate’s last sitting day of the week, the Red Chamber may begin the screening on Tuesday, pending the receipt of the required documents on the nominees, and possibly conclude it on Wednesday.”