Revealed: Why El-Rufai, 2 others wait, as 45 of 48 nominees confirmed

The Senate on Monday confirmed 45 out of the 48 persons nominated as ministers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

They were confirmed after eight days of screening.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said 45 nominees were confirmed while the remaining three, former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Elrufai (Kaduna), Abubakar Sani Danladi (Taraba) and Stella Okotete (Delta) were awaiting security clearance.

The confirmation followed the consideration and approval of the nominees during Monday’s plenary.

According to impeccable sources in the Senate, the unconfirmed nominees are currently undergoing security checks.

One of the sources noted, “Based on the findings, the nominees are currently undergoing security checks, having found some things against them.”,

“We are observing them and we believe that there are some things that are incriminating against them. So, we have sent their names back to the executive for necessary checks.”

YOUNEWS checks revealed that a couple of petitions, including those sent by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), were presented against El-Rufai during the screening.

The lawmaker representing Kogi West, during the ministerial screening, moved against the former Kaduna State governor.

Karimi, after El-Rufai’s presentations, stood up and told the chamber that he had a petition written against the former governor over the issue of insecurity in Southern Kaduna.

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 the FCT, as a minister, your record is there, and as two-time governor of Kaduna state, you did well.”

Raising up a brown envelope, Karimi further stated, “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.”

Karimi then proceeded to lay the petition before Jibrin Barau, the Deputy Senate president, who was presiding over the screening exercise at the time.

But in his intervention, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said, “This is not the place to consider petitions, we will sit with the petitions later and refer them to relevant authorities.”

Also, there is a petition against Dalandi about a court judgment restricting him from holding public office for 10 years.

However, when asked to respond to allegations that the Supreme Court had barred him from holding political office for 10 years for lying on oath, Danladi denied such.

Copies of some petitions against Okotete in the public space also confirmed that there were several petitions against the former Nexim Bank MD, including alleged non-disclosure of assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

The confirmed nominees include Sen. Abubakar Kyari (Borno ), Abubakar Momoh (Edo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Prof. Joseph Utsev (Benue), Sen. John Enoh (Cross River).

Others are Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (Ondo), Dr Betta Edu (Cross River) Imaan Sulaiman (Nasarawa), Ahmed Dangiwa (Katsina), Uche Nnaji (Enugu),

The nominees include Bello Muhammad (Sokoto), Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa), Yusuf Tuggar (Bauchi), Uju-Ken Ohaneye (Anambra).

Abdullahi Gwarzo (Kano), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Tunji Alausa ( Lagos), Adegboyega Oyetola,Osun and Uba Ahmadu (Taraba).

“Lola John (Lagos), Dr Isiak Salako (Ogun), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa), Dr Yusuf Sununu (Kebbi), Prof. Tahir Mamman (Adamawa), Zaphaniah Jisalo (FCT), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Dr. Bosun Tijjani (Ogun) are on the list.

“Shuaibu Abubakar Audu (Kogi), Sen. Sabi Abdullahi (Niger), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Sen. Alkali Ahmed (Gombe), Dr Mariya Bunkure (Kano), Festus Keyamo (Delta) and Hannatu Musawa.

“Dr Dorris Uzoka (Imo), David Umahi , Ekperipe Ekpo (Akwa-Ibom), Nkiru Onyeojiocha (Abia), Dele Alake (Ekiti), Lateef Fagbemi (Kwara), Muhammad Idris (), Olawale Edun (Ondo) Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo) and Prof. Ali Pate (Bauchi).

In his remarks, President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio thanked the lawmakers for their doggedness throughout the exercise.

He said that the Senate had so far confirmed 45 ministerial nominees out of the 48 sent by the President.

“The others yet to be confirmed are former governor of Kaduna Nasir El-Rufai, Sen. Abubakar Danladi (Taraba) and Executive Director (Business Development) of Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM), Stella Okotete.”

According to Akpabio, the trio are still awaiting security clearance.