The Nigerian senate, on Wednesday, cleared all the seven nominees sent to it President Bola Tinubu for appointment as ministers.
The president had forwarded the list to the upper legislative chamber last week for accelerated consideration following a major shakeup in his cabinet.
Though the screening was to take place on Tuesday, the Senate rescheduled it for Wednesday to allow for proper vetting of the nominees’ credentials. The nation’s upper legislative chamber had to suspend its rule to admit the ministerial nominees.
The lawmakers began with Nentawe Yilwatda, the nominee appointed to replace Betta Edu as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
They subsequently screened other appointees, including Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu, who was nominated as the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, who was nominated as the Minister of Labour and Employment, and Jumoke Oduwole, who was nominated as the Minister of Industry.
Also screened were Idi Maiha, who was the minister for the newly created livestock development ministry; Yusuf Ata, who was the minister of state, housing, and urban development; and Suwaiba Ahmad, who was the minister of state education.
All the nominees were asked questions on how to run their various designated ministries effectively, which they answered to the satisfaction of the Senators who subsequently confirmed their appointments.
President Bola Tinubu had last Wednesday sacked five ministers, re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios, and appointed seven new ministers for Senate confirmation.
