Senate Spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, announced that the red chamber is considering the re-screening of three ministerial nominees who are yet to be confirmed. The nominees in question are Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Abubakar Danladi from Taraba State, and Stella Okotete, former Managing Director of Nexim Bank from Delta State.
On Tuesday, during the Sunrise Daily programme on Channels Television, Adaramodu clarified that the issue of these nominees is still ongoing. Once the Senate is satisfied, they may invite them for re-confirmation and re-screening.
It’s worth noting that the Senate had previously approved and confirmed 45 other ministerial nominees of President Bola Tinubu after a voice vote. However, the confirmation of El-Rufai and the two others was withheld pending “security clearance,” as stated by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Discussing the matter, Adaramodu emphasized that the Senate’s satisfaction depends on the security agencies’ evaluations and the nominations made by the appointing authority.
Among the 45 nominees already cleared by the Senate are prominent figures such as Festus Keyamo, Lola Ade-John, Simon Lalong, Dave Umahi, Nyesom Wike, and many others.
On August 1, 2023, the Senate screened Nasir El-Rufai, a two-term governor of Kaduna State, and one of the nine ex-governors in the ministerial list. During the screening, Senator Karimi Sunday raised a “strong petition” concerning insecurity, unity, and national cohesion. However, the Senate President clarified that dealing with petitions is not within their scope during the screening process.
Despite the controversies surrounding some nominees, the Senate eventually allowed them to “take a bow and go” after the screening, as was the case with Festus Keyamo, who had previously apologized for not honoring invitations from the legislative committee overseeing the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
These developments have led to concerns among Nigerians about the credibility of the legislature’s decisions regarding ministerial appointments.
