The Senate has decided to suspend all items listed in Wednesday’s Order Paper in order to prioritize the screening of ministerial nominees submitted for confirmation by President Bola Tinubu.
The screening process is a crucial step in the governance framework, as it allows lawmakers to assess the nominees’ capabilities and readiness to contribute to the administration’s objectives.
The process to initiate the screening of ministerial nominees commenced at 12:55 PM, following a motion put forward by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Ekiti Central.
This motion was seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who represents Benue South.
The Senate resolved to the Committee of the Whole at 1.04, just as the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has started calling the names, starting with Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda.
Akpabio has asked Yilwarda to come up the acknowledged copy of his Assets declaration.
The nominee started addressing the Senators at 1.08pm
Recall that President Tinubu had written the Senate, seeking for the screening and subsequent confirmation
of appointments of seven ministerial nominees announced in Abuja on Wednesday.
President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and read last week Thursday during plenary.
According to the letter, the Ministerial nominees were Dr Nentawe Yilwatda , Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi , Minister of Labour and Employment and Bianca Odinaka Odumegu – Ojukwu , Minister of State, Foreign Affairs .
Others were Dr Jumoke Oduwole , Minister of Industry , Trade and Development , Idi Muktar Maiha , Minister of Livestock Development , Rt Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata , Minister of State, Housing and Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad , Minister of State, Education.
President Tinubu in the letter had sought for expeditious consideration of his request by the Senate.
Accordingly as announced by Akpabio, the Senate immediately referred the Presidential request to the Committee of the whole for consideration.
He said, ” Distinguished colleagues , the presidential request is referred to the committee of the whole for consideration very soon.”