Senate confirms Fashola, Fayemi, Mohammed, 15 others as ministers

Senate confirms Fashola, Fayemi, Mohammed, 15 others as ministers

… Amaechi, Shittu’s screening postponed

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola; his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and 15 others as ministers of the federal republic.

Also confirmed as ministers are – Dr. Chris Ngige, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr.  Ibe Kachikwu; Abubakar Malami (SAN), Senator Aisha Alhassan, Barr. Solomon Dalong, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Senator Hadi Sirika, the ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh and Senator Udoma Udo Udoma.

The former National Chairman of All Nigeria Peoples Party, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Lt. Gen Abdulrahman Danbazzau, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, Suleiman Adamu and Ibrahim Jubrin completed the list.

They were confirmed shortly after Wednesday’s screening of Fashola and seven other ministerial nominees.

Screened alongside the ex-Lagos State governor are -Ngige, Kachikwu,Malami, Alhassan,Dalong, Adeosun and Sirika.

Two ministerial nominees – ex-Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi and Barr. Adebayo Shittu were not screened on Wednesday.

Amaechi’s screening was put on hold following the inability of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges and Public Petitions to submit its report on a petition filed against the ex-governor.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, told the Senate that the report of the petition against Amaechi’s nomination as minister was not ready.

However, no reason was given for postponement of Shittu’s screening.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the exercise, asked senators to subject the new ministers’ confirmation to voice vote.

The lawmakers in turn voted overwhelmingly for the nominees’ confirmation.