Ministerial List: Why Senate may defer recess

The Senate is to postpone its long vacation by one week to enable it consider President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial list that was sent to the upper legislature last night.

The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan, had wednesday afternoon assured his colleague that the list was on its way.

It was learnt from reliable presidency and Senate sources that the upper chamber might have reached an understanding with the president that the list of ministers would be considered and approved before the recess.

The National Assembly is scheduled to proceed on its long vacation on July 25, meaning that the intervening two weeks going by Senate rules and procedure might not be sufficient to screen the ministerial nominees.

Lawan had assured his colleagues, who expressed worry that except the list was transmitted immediately, it might not be considered until after the recess in last week of September, that the list was on the way.

“If the president sends in the list today,” said a ranking senator, “it cannot be considered until the upper week as it would have to, by Senate rules, be referred for one week.”

He explained that it means the Senate would not be able to begin consideration of the nominees until July 23, leaving the senators only three days before the recess. “That is an impossible task even if we work 24/7,” the senator, who did not want to be mentioned, said.