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• Tinubu’ll send it within next 48 hours, says Bamidele, senate leader
By Chukwumah Umeorah
Fifty-five days after inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the much-talked about ministerial nominees expected to be submitted to the Senate leadership is still pending.
This is coming at a time the Senate would commence summer recess tomorrow till the third week of September.
President Tinubu has a window of 60 days to submit list of ministerial-nominees to the Senate, going by the provisions of the Electoral Act and it lapses on July 28.
Competent sources told Daily Sun that although President Tinubu has a ready list of proposed ministers, he is yet to submit it to the Senate for the commencement of screening.
It was, however, gathered that before the Senate goes on recess tomorrow, the president may either send in a letter asking for more time or a list of a few ministerial-nominees, especially those who had earlier been appointed as special advisers to beat the deadline.
Daily Sun gathered that the main reason list of the ministerial-nominees has not been submitted is because security agencies conducting security checks on the would-be ministers have not concluded their job. It was learnt that the security checks were slow because operatives want to be as discreet as possible in order not to alert those being checked. Sources said the slow security check on the ministerial-nominees is frustrating President Tinubu, who is under pressure to send the list without the accompanying security report.
However, Daily Sun gathered that senators have expressed preference to have the ministerial-nominees list with the security report. Senators’ preference is predicated on the fact that security report on the nominees would also aid the Senate in taking decision.
The Senate is likely to unveil chairmen of all its committees before going on vacation.
Sources revealed that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in consultation with principal officers and leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has concluded work on the chairmanship of the committees. He had earlier released names of chairmen of some committees.
Senator Titus Zam was named Chairman Senate Committee on Rules and Business with Senator Opeyemi Bamidele as vice chairman, while Senator Sunday Karimi was appointed Chairman, Committee on Senate Services with Senator Williams Jonah as vice chairman.
Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions had Senator Okechukwu Ezea as chairman and Khalid Mustapha as vice chairman.
Akpabio named Senator Ahmed Wadada chairman of the Senate Committee in Public Accounts and Senator Onyeka Peter Nwebonyi as vice chairman.
Committee on National Security and Intelligence has Senator Shehu Umar as chairman with Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong as vice chairman.
The Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance has Senator Garba Musa Maidoki as chairman and Senator Ede Dafinone as vice chairman.
Committee on Media and Public Affairs has Adaramodu Adeyemi Raphael as chairman and Senator Salisu Shuaibu Afolabi as vice chairman while Solomon Adeola is chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and Senator Ali Ndume as vice chairman.
Meanwhile, Senate leader, Micheal Bamidele has assured that President Tinubu would send his ministerial list within the next 48 hours.
Bamidele who spoke during the public presentation of books to mark his 60th birthday at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua centre, Abuja, declared that Tinubu could not attend the event because of the preparation of the ministerial list.
He said “We should tell the rest of Nigerians to pray for him to be able to make the right decision within the next 24 hours so that when Nigerians hear the list of his ministers, they will say yes…this is uncommon. Join us to pray for Mr president. He needed to be away from any kind of influence”.
Also speaking at the event, Toyin Ogundipe, former vice chancellor of the University of Lagos, called on political office holders to cut the cost of governance and reduce the number of vehicles in their convoys.
“There is a need for our leaders to reduce the number of vehicles in their conveys so that Nigerians will know that you feel their pains. There is nothing Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) are doing in the entourage of the president and vice president once you have police in the convoy,” she said.
