Senate withholds el-Rufai’s confirmation as minister over security clearance

The senate has approved the appointment of 45 out of the 48 ministerial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu.

The nominees were confirmed on Monday evening after the upper legislative chamber concluded the screening of the candidates.

Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna; and two other nominees — Stella Okotete (Delta) and Danladi Abubakar (Taraba) were not confirmed as the senate awaits security clearance about them.

“The others are still awaiting security clearance,” Senate President Godswill Akpabio said, after announcing the names of those approved by the senate.

TheCable had reported how Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west, presented a petition against el-Rufai during his screening last week.

A petition was also submitted against Okotete.

On July 27, Tinubu sent the list of nominees made up of 28 persons to the senate for screening and confirmation.

Six days later, the president forwarded additional 19 names to make the total number of ministerial nominees 47.

However, on Friday, Tinubu replaced Maryam Shetty, a nominee from Kano, with Mairiga Mahmud.

The president also included Festus Keyamo’s name in the list to make the nominees 48 in total.

See the list of the nominees screened and confirmed by the senate below:

1. Abubakar Kyari (Borno)

2. Abubakar Momoh (Edo)

3. Nyesom Wike (Rivers)

4. Joseph Utsev (Benue)

5. John Eno (Cross River)

6. Bello Mohammed (Sokoto)

7. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa)

8. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi)

9. Uju Ken Ohaneye (Anambra)

10. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo)

11. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (Abia)

12. Betta Edu (Cross River)

13. Imaan Suleiman (Nasarawa)

14. David Umahi (Ebonyi)

15. Adebayo Olawale Edun (Ogun)

16. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (Katsina)

17. Uche Nnaji (Enugu)

18. Dele Alake (Ekiti)

19. Waheed Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo)

20. Muhammad Idris (Niger)

21. Ali Pate (Bauchi)

22. Doris Uzoka (Imo)

23. Lateef Fagbemi (Kwara)

24. Ekperikpe Ekpo (Akwa Ibom)

25. Annatu Musawa (Katsina)

26. Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe)

27. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger)

28. Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa)

29. Alkali Ahmed Sa’eed (Gombe)

30. Yusuf Tanko Sununu (Kebbi)

31. Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi)

32. Bello Matawalle (Zamfara)

33. Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun)

34. Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau)

35. Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo (Kano)

36. Bosun Tijjani (Ogun)

37. Mariya Mahmoud (Kano)

38. Isiyaka Salako (Ogun)

39. Tunji Alausa (Lagos)

40. Lola Ade John (Lagos)

41. Tahir Mamman (Adamawa)

42. Zephaniah Jissalo (F.C.T)

43. Uba Maigari Ahmadu (Taraba)

44. Shuaibu Abubakar Audu (Kogi)

45. Festus Keyamo (Delta)