Senate to begin screening Buhari's list of 21 ministerial nominees on October 6

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has submitted a list of 21 ministerial nominees to the senate for screening just beating his September deadline and 24 hours before Nigeria's 55th independence day celebrations.

 

In a highly anticipated move, Alhaji Abba Kyari, President Buhari's chief of staff, accompanied by Ita Enang, the president's senior special assistant on national assembly matters, handed the list to senate president Bukola Saraki yesterday. It is believed to contain many of the expected nominees and the senate is scheduled to begin screening them next week.

 

Yusuph Olaniyonu, Senator Saraki's spokesman said: “Dr Saraki, following the tradition of the senate, decided that the envelope will remain sealed till Tuesday October 6, when during the plenary sitting of the upper legislative chamber, it will be opened and the list read to Senators.”

 

Among the All Progressives Congress (APC) bigwigs said to be on the list include former minister Audu Ogbeh, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Governor Babatunde Fashola, Governor Kayode Fayemi and former chief of army staff Lt General Abdulrahman Dambazzau. Also on the list are lawyers Femi Falana and Abubakar Malami and it includes three women who are Kemi Adeosun, a former Ogun State finance commissioner, Senator Aisha Alhassan and Amina Mohammed, the special assistant to United Nations secretary-general on Post-2015 Development Planning.

 

Others on the list include Katsina's Senator Hadi Sirika, former Anambra State governor Dr Chris Ngige, Osagie Ehanire, Udoma Udo-Udoma, Ahmed Ibeto, Sulaiman Adamu, Ibrahim Jibril, Adebayo Shittu and Solomon Dalong. Ibe Kachikwu, the current group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is also on it and likely to be minister of state for petroleum.

 

Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, had expressed concern, however, that the senate president did not read out the list of ministerial nominees despite the fact that newspapers had reported on the development. It is not yet clear if the names will be read out on the floor when senators resume tomorrow after Nigeria's independence day celebrations today.

 

[1] Audu Ogbeh (Benue)

[2] Dr Ogbonnaya Onu (Abia)

[3] Governor Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)

[4] Governor Babatunde Fashola (Lagos)

[5] Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)

[6] Lt General Abdulrahman Dambazzau

[7] Abubakar Malami (Kebbi)

[8] Kemi Adeosun (Ogun)

[9] Senator Aisha Alhassan (Taraba)

[10] Amina Mohammed (Kaduna)

[11] Senator Hadi Sirika (Katsina)

[12] Dr Chris Ngige (Anambra)

[13] Osagie Ehanire (Edo)

[14] Udoma Udo-Udoma (Akwa Ibom)

[15] Ahmed Ibeto (Niger)

[16] Sulaiman Adamu (Bauchi)

[17] Ibrahim Jibril (Kogi)

[18 Adebayo Shittu (Oyo)

[19] Solomon Dalong (Plateau)

[20] Ibe Kachikwu (Delta)

[21] Femi Falana (Ekiti)