Senate confirms three more ministerial nominees

05 Oct Senate confirms three more ministerial nominees

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Balarabe Lawal (Kaduna), Ayodele Olawande (Ondo) and Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Kwara) as ministers.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the confirmation of the ministers after they were cleared through a voice vote by senators at the plenary.

The confirmation brings the total number of ministers that will serve in the administration of President Bola Tinubu to 48.

Mr Tinubu had in a correspondence to the Senate on Tuesday requested the screening and confirmation of the three nominees.

The president’s letter was read by Mr Akpabio at the plenary.

The senate president, on Wednesday, passed the request for the confirmation of the ministers to the Senate Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration.

The nominees were screened and cleared by the senators at the Committee of Whole.

Ms Ibrahim and Mr Olawande will serve as minister of youth and minister of state for youth respectively.

Lawal, who slumped during the screening, may serve as the minister of environment. He is replacing Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State whose confirmation the Senate put on hold in August due to security reasons.

The confirmation of two other nominees, Stella Okotete (Delta) and Sani Danladi (Taraba) was also deferred.

Mr Tinubu had since August inaugurated 45 ministers earlier cleared by the upper legislative chamber.