UPDATED: Tinubu nominates 3 new ministers, seeks senate’s confirmation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent 3 additional ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.

The new nominees include Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Balarabe Abbas and Olawale Olawande.

This is contained in a letter sent by Tinubu to then senate and read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during resumption of plenary by lawmakers on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

Balarabe, who is among the nominees, is a a ministerial replacement for the former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, whose confirmation was stepped down by the senate due to alleged security report.

The other nominees Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahaim and Ayodele Olawande, were earlier nominated as Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths by the president.

What you should know

• Recall that the Senate in August 2023 screened and confirmed 45 ministerial nominees and withheld the confirmation of 3 of them. Notable among those not confirmed include former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
• The 2 other nominees rejected then were Stella Okotete from Delta State and Abubakar Danladi from Taraba State.
• A lawmaker after El-Rufai’s presentation raised concern over a “serious petition” against the former governor during the screening ceremony.
• Senator Sunday Karimi from Kogi West had drawn the attention of the lawmakers to the petitions against the former FCT minister which borders on security.
• He said, “Your performance in any office you find yourself in the country has been outstanding. In the Bureau of Public Enterprises, your record is there, in FCT as a minister, your record is there, and as two-time governor of Kaduna state, you did well.
• “But, I have a very strong petition against you that borders on security, unity, and cohesiveness of the Nigerian nation. And I think that the petition has to be considered in this screening exercise.”
• However, in the midst of the controversy, El-Rufai in August withdrew his interest to serve as a minister under President Tinubu during his screening process with the Senate.
• He also stated that he would continue contribute his quota to the development of Nigeria as a private citizen.

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