Senate Unveils Final Ministerial List, Commences screening Exercise
The Senate on Tuesday October 13, 2015 at the commencement of plenary announced the receipt of the final list of Ministerial Nominees from President Muhammadu Buhari in accordance with section 147 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. The names were sent to the Chamber in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Monday.
The list read on the floor of the Chamber was made up of the following:
- Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim
- Claudius Omoleye Daramola
- Prof. Anthony Anwuka
- Godfrey Onyeama
- Brig. Gen. MM Dan Ali (Rtd.)
- Barr. James E. Ocholi
- Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed
- Okechukwu Enelamah
- Muhammed Bello
- Mustapha Baba Shehuri
- Ms. Aisha Abubakar
- Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri
- Adamu Adamu
- Prof. Issac Adewole
- Pastor Usani Usani Uguru
- Abubakar Bawa Bwari.
Similarly, the Senate has commenced screening exercise of Ministerial Nominees. The exercise started following the Senate Leader, Muhammed Ali Ndume two Motions on the “Senate do suspend some of its rules to usher into the Chamber the Special Advisers to the President on National Assembly Matters and other entourage; and Senate do resolve into the Committee of Whole to screen the Ministerial Nomineesâ€. The Motions were seconded by Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio.
Accordingly, the Hallowed Chamber successfully screened ten Nominees in an exercise that lasted almost seven hours. Among those screened include: Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, Chief Audu Ogbe, Dr. Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Mrs Amina Ibrahim Mohammed, Engr. Sulaiman Hussaini Adamu and Mr. Ibrahim Usman Jibril. At the end of exercise, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki announced that their confirmation has been deferred to another legislative date.
Earlier, the Senate has considered and approved a report of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on a petition sent against the nominations of Amina Ibrahim Mohammed by Southern Kaduna Coalition as the Ministerial Nominee of Kaduna State. The report confirmed that she was nominated by Gombe State not Kaduna State and consequently cleared her for screening. While the Report on a petition against Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by Integrity Group on alleged cases of fraud against him was deferred to another legislative date.
Also, the Red Chamber has passed a Motion on the immediate transfer of power surplus by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the Rural Electrification Commission. The Motion sponsored by Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa was aimed at seeing Nigerians enjoy cheaper and more accessible power supply in rural communities.
The Senate will continue the screening exercise on Wednesday October 14, 2015.