The ministers-designate confirmed were 38 out of the 39 nominees presented by the Acting President. Alhaji Umar Aliyu, a nominee from Taraba State was the only ministerial nominee that did not appear before the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly for screening and thus could not be confirmed.
Accordingly, two states and two geo-political zones Ebonyi and Taraba as well as North-East and South-South zones are yet to be represented in the new Executive Council likely to be inaugurated today.
Former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman from Kano, whose name was submitted on Monday and listed on the Senate Order paper but skipped on Tuesday during the screening by the Senate staged a comeback on Wednesday to face the Senators after which he was confirmed.
As reported by Daily Sun on Wednesday, Prof. Dora Akunyili and Senator Sanusi Daggash, who initially had some issues with the Senators both secured more than the required majority needed to get confirmation.
Meanwhile, President of the Senate, David Mark, has urged Acting President Jonathan not to hesitate to sack any minister found not to be performing to justify the doctrine of necessity that was adopted by the Senate to empower him.
Senator Mark, who commended Senators for spending several hours to screen and confirm the ministers, said it was the hope of the Senate that once the ministers were allocated portfolios, they would earnestly do what they promised Nigerians through the Senate, adding that the Upper Chamber would “ensure that through our oversight functions, they do precisely what they told us here.”
According to Mark, “I will like to use this opportunity to ask Mr. Acting President, Commander-in-Chief that any minister who does not live to expectation should not be spared. He should immediately be removed from office so that he/she doesn’t become a clog in the wheel of progress.”
The Senate President noted that the Upper Chamber postponed its recess to get the ministers-designate screened and confirmed in the interest of the country and to move the nation forward as quickly as possible in accordance with the doctrine of necessity adopted by the Senate. “Ideally, this would have taken much longer time. In spite of the fact that it has taken a short time I think we have done a thorough job and we hope when these ministers are deployed, they will live to the expectations of Nigerians,” Mark said.
Later at a press conference, Senate spokesman, Ayogu Eze, said the decision by the Upper Chamber to grant time to the screening was to allow government to function effectively. Senator Eze further said stakeholders from Taraba and Ebonyi states were yet to conclude the selection process of their nominees.
List of ministers-designate: Fidelia Akuabata Njeze (Enugu), Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) (Ondo), Prof. Dora Akunyili (Anambra), Sen. Akinlabi Olasunkanmi (Osun), Hon. Isa Bio Ibrahim (Kwara), Elder Godsday Orubebe (Delta), Arc. Nuhu Somo Wya (Kaduna), Henry Odein Ajumogobia (Rivers), Mrs. Dieziani Allison-Madueke (Bayelsa), Shamsudeen Usman (Kano), John Ogar Odey (Cross River), Aderemi Waheed Babalola (Oyo), Mr. Humphrey Enemakwu Abbah (Kogi), Chukwuemeka Ngozichineke Wogu (Abia), Iyom Josephine Anenih (Anambra), Labaran Maku (Nasarawa), Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi (Edo), Alh. Suleiman Bello (Zamfara), Alh. Murtala Yar’Adua (Katsina), Sanusi M. Daggash (Borno), Sen. Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Nduese Essien (Akwa Ibom), Miss Josephine Tapgun (Plateau), Mohammed Bello Adoke (Kogi), retired Navy Capt. Ernest Olubolade (Ekiti), Mr. Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga (Lagos), Prof. Mohammed K. Abubakar (Kebbi), Alh. Adamu Maina Waziri (Yobe), Awodele Najeem Adewale Alao (Ogun), Alh. Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed (Gombe), Yusuf Suleiman (Sokoto), Prof. Ruqaiya Rufai (Jigawa), Arc. Musa Sada (Katsina), Prof. Sheikh Abdallah (Niger), Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho (Imo), Sen. Jibrin Martins-Kuye (Ogun), Aliyu Idi Hong (Adamawa) and Samuel Odeh (Benue).
No comments:
Post a Comment