Senate to commence ministerial screening on Tuesday

The Senate will commence the screening of seven ministerial nominees submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday next week.

The fixing of the date follows the reading of the president’s letter by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary session.

The ministerial nominees for the Senate’s consideration and approval are 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).

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

Akpabio referred the nominees to the Committee of the Whole for further legislative work as soon as possible.

President Tinubu, in the letter, appealed to the Senate for expeditious consideration of his request. Akpabio directed the presidential request to the Committee of the Whole for accelerated consideration.

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

A principal member of the Senate, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said the upper chamber would begin screening the nominees on Tuesday next week.

He said, “Since the request got to the Senate on its last day of sitting in the week, the red chamber may, after receiving the required documents on the nominees, commence their screening on Tuesday and possibly conclude it on Wednesday next week.”