The Senate has announced a major shake-up in its committee system.It was learnt that those appointed into the vacant offices in the “grade A’ committees were senators opposed to the election of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

Curiously, some of the beneficiaries ‎ were those who petitioned the police over the alleged forgery of the Senate Rules and have been listed as prosecution witnesses in the case.

In the re-arrangement that affected 13 existing committees, Senator ‎Oluremi Tinubu has been redeployed from her former Women Affairs to the Committee on Environment.

Spokesman of the Unity Forum Senators, Kabiru Marafa, has been taken from the Committee on National Identity Card/ National Population to head the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream).

Saraki, who made the announcement shortly before the Senate adjourned yesterday, urged committees to use the holiday to conclude their annual report for submission when the Upper Chanber reconvenes on September 13.

Suleiman Hukunyi, another critic of the Senate president, is now in charge of the Committee on National Identity/national population. Ho‎pe Uzodinma was moved from the Committee on Aviation to head the Committee on Customs while Adamu Aliero, who formerly heads Customs Committee was moved to Aviation.

Similarly, Barau Jibril who had served as acting chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has been moved to head the Committee on Tertiary ‎Institutions just as Joshua Dariye who was formerly chairman of the Committee on Solid Mineral Resources was redeployed to the Committee on Public Procurement.

Former chairman of the Rules and Business, Babajide Omoworare, was moved to head a newly created Committee on Legislative Compliance.Adokwe Suleiman who was sworn in much after the inauguration of the 8th Senate is now the chairman of the Committee on Information and National Orientation. Baba Kaka Garbai has been appointed as head of the Committee on Rules and Business just as Tijani Kaura took charge as chairman of the Committee on Federal Character. Ahmed Ogembe was appointed vice chairman of the Committee on Marine Transport while Ovie Omo Agege was appointed as vice chairman of the Committee on Land Transport.The re-composition of the committees was one of the conditions put forward by the Unity Forum Senators for peace to return to the troubled Senate.