The Senate has received a list of seven ministerial nominees from the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for screening and confirmation.
The request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and read on the floor at the start of plenary on Tuesday.
Buhari, in the letter, explained that the request was in accordance with the provisions of Section 147 (2) of the Constitution.
The nominees are Henry Ikoh – Abia State; Umana Umana – Akwa Ibom State; Ekumankama Nkama – Ebonyi State; and Goodluck Opiah – Imo State.
Others are Umar El-Yakub – Kano State; Ademola Adegoroye – Ondo State; and Odum Odi – Rivers State.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that some ministerial positions have been vacant since some former ministers resigned their offices for their political ambitions.
Those who resigned included former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Mines and Steel, Uche Ogah; former Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; and a former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Senator Tayo Alasoadura.
Meanwhile, three more senators of the All Progressives Congress have resigned their membership of the ruling party.
Senators Ahmad Babba-Kaita representing Katsina North senatorial district and Francis Alimikhena from Edo North defected to the Peoples Democratic Party; while Senator Lawal Gumau from Bauchi South joined the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
The notice of their resignation and defection was contained in three separate letters read during plenary by Lawan, on Tuesday.
Also at the plenary on Tuesday, the Senate named the lawmaker representing the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Philip Aduda, as the new Minority Leader to replace Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. Senator Chukwuka Utazi was also named the Senate Minority Whip to take over Aduda’s former position.
