Breaking: Senate postpones screening of 7 ministerial nominees

The Senate has postponed the scheduled screening of seven ministerial nominees, originally set for Tuesday.

This development was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, in a brief statement issued in Abuja around midday.

According to Lado, the decision to delay the screening was taken to allow all the ministerial nominees to complete essential documentation and pre-screening processes. However, he did not specify the new date for the exercise. According to The Nation, the screening has likely been rescheduled to Wednesday.

The statement titled “Postponement of Ministerial Screening” reads: “The scheduled screening of ministerial nominees has been postponed by the Senate. This is to allow all nominees to conclude all aspects of documentation and pre-screening exercises. The screening has been rescheduled for Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 12noon prompt. We appreciate your understanding and patience.”

The seven nominees, whose names were forwarded to the Senate by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last Thursday, include:

1. Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, for the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

2. Muhammadu Dingyadi, for the Ministry of Labour & Employment.

3. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, for the Ministry of State, Foreign Affairs.

4. Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, for the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment.

5. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, for the Ministry of Livestock Development.

6. Yusuf Ata, for the Ministry of State, Housing, and Urban Development.

7. Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, for the Ministry of State, Education.

The postponement follows the Senate’s routine practice of ensuring that all necessary paperwork and preliminary checks are completed before the nominees are invited for screening. The upper legislative chamber is now set to conduct the exercise at 12 noon on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.