Tinubu Request Confirmation Of Ministerial Nominees in Letter to Senate

President Bola Tinubu has written to the Nigerian Senate to confirm the seven new ministerial nominees.

This request was conveyed through a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which was read during the Senate’s plenary session on Thursday.

In his letter, President Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process for the seven nominees.

The ministerial candidates proposed for confirmation include Nentawe Yilwatda, nominated to head the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and Muhammadu Dingyadi, nominated for the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Other nominees include Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu for Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Jumoke Oduwole for Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, and Idi Mukhtar Maiha for the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata has been nominated for the Ministry of State, Housing and Urban Development, while Suwaiba Ahmad is proposed for the position of Minister of State, Education.

Senate President Akpabio referred the nominees to the Committee of the Whole for further legislative action and confirmation as soon as possible.

The nominations come on the heels of a major cabinet reshuffle by President Tinubu, announced earlier on Wednesday. The reshuffle saw the dismissal of five ministers, the redeployment of 10 others, and the appointment of the seven new nominees awaiting confirmation.

Among the ministers removed from their positions were Uju-Ken Ohanenye, formerly the Minister of Women Affairs, and Lola Ade-John, who previously held the portfolio of Minister of Tourism. Tahir Mamman was sacked as the Minister of Education, while Abdullahi Gwarzo and Jamila Ibrahim were removed from their positions as Ministers of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Youth Development, respectively.

The reshuffle also saw significant reassignments within the cabinet. Yusuf Sununu was shifted from his role as Minister of State for Education to Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction. Olatunji Alausa, previously Minister of State for Health, was reassigned as Minister of Education. Similarly, Bello Goronyo, who served as Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, was moved to Minister of State for Works.

Abubakar Momoh was reassigned from his role as Minister of Niger Delta Development to head the newly established Ministry of Regional Development, while Uba Maigari Ahmadu was moved from the Ministry of State, Steel Development, to the Ministry of State for Regional Development.

Other notable reassignments included Doris Uzoka-Anite, who shifted from her role as Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment to Minister of State for Finance, deputising the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun. John Enoh, the Minister of Sports, was reassigned as Minister of State for Trade and Investment, while Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim was appointed as the new Minister of Women Affairs. Ayodele Olawande was elevated to the role of Minister of Youth Development, after previously serving as the Minister of State for Youth Development. Finally, Iziak Salako, who was Minister of State for Environment, was reassigned to the Ministry of Health in the same capacity.

The Senate is expected to conduct its confirmation hearings for the new nominees in the coming days.