Senate Sends List Of 45 Confirmed Ministerial Nominees To Tinubu

By Babatunde Solanke

The Nigerian Senate has sent list of 45 confirmed Ministerial nominees to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Abdullahi Gumel, confirmed the development while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, 8 August, 2023.

Recall that the Senate had on Monday,7 August, 2023 confirmed the appointment of 45 ministerial nominees and put on hold the confirmation of three others.

Those not confirmed included the immediate past Kaduna State Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; Sen. Abubakar Danladi and Stella Okete.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, explained that the trio were not confirmed because they were still awaiting security clearance.

“We transmitted the confirmed list yesterday (Monday) by about 11:30 p.m. to the Chief of Staff to the President.

“The list is now with the Executive, which means that the ministerial nominees were cleared by the Senate and confirmed,” Gumel said.

He appreciated the senators who he said sacrificed their recess and stayed back as patriotic Nigerians to conclude the screening and confirmation of the nominees.

“The interesting thing about what happened in the Senate is that, there wasn’t opposition. The passion and commitment they showed to the work is commendable.

“I’m very grateful to the 10th Senate for making our jobs, those of us who represent the executive, very easy and very interesting.

“So confirming the portfolios of the ministerial nominees, that one is Presidential grace.”

Gumel also explained that the number of the nominees was increased from the usual 42 to 48,” he said.

“We have increased the number of ministerial nominees from what we used to have, that is 42.Our president sent 48 so we felt that would happen is that some of the ministries which are so big are to be merged together or separated for easy oversight by the Senate, like the Ministry of Works and Housing, which we felt should be separated.

“This is so that they can accommodate the number of ministers.

“The president will give them portfolios so that the government can get going. It is the prerogative of the President,” Gumel added.