Category: Ministerial Screening

  • Wednesday’s ministerial screening highlights

    Wednesday’s ministerial screening highlights

    The screening of ministerial nominees into the Federal Executive Council enters day two on Wednesday.

    The Senate on Tuesday screened 10 ministerial nominees, including a former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Lt. Gen Abdulrahman Danbazzau, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    On Wednesday Another set of nominees will meet the Senate and reel out their programmes for Nigerians.

    Those that will be screened on Wednesday are – former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Chris Ngige, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, Barr. Solomon Dalong, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Senator Hadi Sirika and Barr. Adebayo Shittu .

    THE NOMINEES:

     

     Babatunde Fashola:

    – Lagos success a team effort.

    – Police decentralization is a must.

    –  Encourage diversification of economy through productivity.

    – I don’t sign cheques or fix prices.

    – Nobody has said I have corruptly enriched myself.

    – Concept of loyalty is a very strange one. If tested you may be asked to take a bullet for your son.

    – Nigerians invest more money outside the country.

    – Nigeria needs loans that will grow the economy.

    – Security is the toughest task any government can possibly take.

     

    Dr. Ibe Kachikwu

    – 50% of NNPC subsidy charges come from kerosine.

    – Refinery has a lifespan of 50-60 years depending on maintenance.

    – Nigerians to get free cylinders  next year.

    – PH Refinery operating presently at about 67% capacity.

    -No routine maintenance in refineries in 10 years.

    – No new PIB for now.

    – Contracts processes in NNPC not transparent.

    – Senators will get monthly report on NNPC and the petroleum industry as a whole.

    – All requests or grants for refineries will be reviewed.

    – NNPC is not owing salaries.

    – There is massive fraud in subsidy scheme.

    – I will support NNPC unbundling.

    – NNPC has one of the best retirement packages in Nigeria.

     

    Abubakar Malami

    – Our laws cannot develop without input from National Assembly.

    – Justice administration is incomplete without financial independence of the judiciary.

    – There is development in justice administration, but there is need for greater collaboration among the three arms of government.

    -No person should be detained in criminal matter beyond a period of three months before they are arraigned.

    -Justice administration in respect of criminal cases provides that cases must be determined within 180 days.

    – Prisoners should be made to acquire vocational skills while serving their terms.

     

     

    Dr. Chris Ngige

    – We introduced the first health committee in the Senate.

    – We promoted primary health care service.

    -Buhari is ready to serve Nigerians.

     

    Aisha Alhassan

    – My nomination is not a compensation for losing governorship election.

    -Corruption has little or nothing to do with money.

    -The bar and bench are key players in the corruption of the judiciary.

     

    Solomon Dalong

    – Criminal justice in Nigeria has a long history.

    – There is need to reduce prison congestion.

    -Lawyers must live up to expectations.

    – Cattle rustling has international connection and must be tackled head on.

    – We must have a clear perception about corruption.

    -Over-dependence on oil makes Nigerians lazy.

    – Nigeria prison system is punitive.

    -Corruption cannot be reduced to opinion, it should be defined by act of the National Assembly.

     

    Kemi Adeosun

    – Non-oil sector is growing.

    -We must implement strategies to improve IGR

    -Identify sources of revenue leakages and plug them

    -We must stimulate our economy

    -Set aggressive targets to plug revenue leakages

    -TSA reduces borrowing capacity.

    -TSA improves visibility of revenue.

    – We need FID to create employment.

    -Nigeria a huge consumer market.

    – In 2005, Ogun was ranked 35th out of 36 in worst states to do business.

    -We cannot continue to spend 78% of our budget on recurrent expenditure.

    -We need to look for other sources of funding.

     

  • Buhari wants palliatives before subsidy removal – Kachikwu

    President Muhammadu Buhari is insisting on putting necessary palliatives in place before any talk of oil subsidy removal, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has said.

    Kachikwu, who is a ministerial nominee from Delta State, stated this during the screening of ministerial nominees by the Senate on Wednesday.

    He noted that if any person from the private sector is asked whether there is need for the removal of oil subsidy, the categorical answer would be yes.

    The nominee noted that when the issue came up before President Buhari, he was particularly concerned about the provision of necessary palliatives especially in the areas of transport, health and education.

    Kachikwu said he agreed with the President that unless necessary palliatives are put in place “you cannot just remove subsidy.”

     

  • From Ibeto to Bawa

    From Ibeto to Bawa

    Day two of the Senate screening for ministerial nominees started with a huge shock. Senate President Bukola Saraki announced the withdrawal of Niger State nominee, Dr Ahmed Ibeto with Abubakar Bawa.

    No explanation was given for the dramatic turn-around. The development might not be unconnected with unfavourable security reports against Ibeto.

    The 56-year-old Ibeto was deputy to immediate governor Babangida Aliyu from 2007-2015.  He was elected Chairman of the then Magama Local Government under the zero party system.

    In 1990, he became the State Chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) Party. He became the Secretary of the National Republican Convention from 1990 to 1992. ·

    He was the State Secretary of the defunct United Nigeria Centre Party (UNCP), as well as that of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) between the years of 1995 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999 respectively.

    From 1999-2003, he was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Protocol Matters to the immediate past Governor.  He contested and won election into the Federal House of Representatives in 2003 under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He was awarded a Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) in Administration by California University (USA) in conjunction with the Institute of Journalism, Enugu, in 2003.

    BawaHis replacement, Abubakar Bawa Bwari popularly called (ABB) by admirers was born on 4th November 1963 in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State.

    He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography (1986) and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning (1990) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and is a registered member of both the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners and Town Planning Registration Council.

    He was elected as a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Suleja/Gurara/Tafa Federal Constituency in 1998 and subsequently became Chief Whip of the House, a position where he served meritoriously over a period spanning 1999-2007.

    While in the House, he was also elected as Vice President African, Caribbean, Pacific and European Union (ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the planning committee ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2000.

    He was awarded Officer in the Order of Leopold (the highest honour bestowed on a foreigner) by His Majesty King Albert II of Belgium in 2004 and Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree by the City University of Los Angeles in 2004.

    ABB is widely travelled and enjoys sporting activities (he is known to be an excellent Football Match Commentator). He also enjoys reading and continues to be actively involved in environmental issues and projects that directly impact on the lives of his people.

  • N78m website: I did not corruptly enrich myself – Fashola

    N78m website: I did not corruptly enrich myself – Fashola

    The immediate past governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said he did not corruptly enrich himself in the controversial N78 million personal website deal executed under his administration.

    Answering questions from senators at the ongoing ministerial screening on Wednesday, Fashola said even his critics did not accuse him of corruptly enriching himself in the controversial deal.

    “I don’t award contracts because there is a tenders board in place. They do market survey to get the price benchmark for these things. There is a process and we have consultants who check these things periodically. Nobody has alleged that I have corruptly enriched myself.”

    Explaining further on the controversy, Fashola said suspicion arises wherever money is involved, even among brothers.

    Asked to state his concept of loyalty, the former governor described loyalty as  strange concept, saying “I have always prayed that may our loyalty never be tested.

    “I pray that my loyalty should not be tested. In my public life, I have had cause to be loyal to causes I believe in.”

    Details later.

  • Senate postpones Amaechi’s screening

    Senate postpones Amaechi’s screening

    The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges and Public Petitions has aborted the screening of former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a minister.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, told the Senate that the report of the petition against Amaechi’s nomination as minister was not ready.

    Anyanwu noted that because of the screening exercise on Tuesday, the committee was not able to put the report together.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, mandated the committee to ensure that the report is ready on Thursday.

    As a result of the non availability of the committee’s report, Amaechi may not be screened on Wednesday as scheduled.

  • Buhari replaces Ibeto with Bawa

    President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced Ahmed Musa Ibeto with Abubakar Bwuari Bawa as a ministerial nominee from Niger State.

    President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki read President Buhari’s letter withdrawing Ibeto’s nomination on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday.

    The President did not state reasons why he withdrew the nomination of the former Deputy Governor of Niger state.

  • Senate screens Fashola, Amaechi, eight others today

    Senate screens Fashola, Amaechi, eight others today

    Former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi and Senator Chris Ngige are among the seven other ministerial nominees scheduled for screening on Wednesday.

    Other also billed for screening are – Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, Barr. Solomon Dalong, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Senator Hadi Sirika and Barr. Adebayo Shittu .

  • Buhari drops ministerial nominee

    President Muhammadu Buhari has withdrawn the ministerial nomination of former Deputy Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Musa Ibeto.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, made this known on Wednesday when the Senate resumed sitting.

    He read out a letter from the President, withdrawing Ibeto’s nomination. No reason was given for the withdrawal.

  • Highlights of ministerial screening

    Highlights of ministerial screening

    A ministerial nominee from Akwa Ibom, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, sets the ball rolling.

    He has been asked to take a “bow and go.”

    The next nominee to enter the podium is a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Rights activist, Shehu Sanni, asked the ex-governor if truly he escaped through an unconventional border during the late Gen. Sani Abacha era.

    Fayemi said, “I did not borrow to pay salaries, but borrowed to fund capital projects for Ekiti.”

    He has also been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    The next nominee to face the senators is Chief Audu Ogbeh.

    The ex-National chairman of the PDP has been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    The next ministerial nominee is Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

    He is acknowledging cheers from the senators.

    He has been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    The next ministerial nominee is Dr. Osagie Ehanire from Edo State.

    He will take questions from senators.

    The nominee has been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    In all five ministerial nominees have been cleared by the Senate.

    The sixth nominee, Lt. Gen.Abdulrahman Danbazzau (rtd), takes to the podium to take questions from senators.

    Lt. Gen. Danbazzau has been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    The APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is the next nominee to face the senators.

    He took six bows before the lawmakers – three for Saraki and three for the Senators.

    Mohammed has been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    Seven ministerial nominees have now been cleared by the Senators. We have three more to go.

    A female ministerial nominee, Amina Mohammed, is now addressing the Senators.

    After her address, she will take questions from the lawmakers.

    After taking few questions, she has been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    The ninth nominee, Suleiman Adamu, is now addressing the senators.

    Adamu has been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    The last nominee for today, Ibrahim Jubril Adamu, is introducing himself to the senators.

    He is a ministerial nominee from Jigawa State.

    He has also been asked to take a ” bow and go.”

    Adamu’s clearance by the Senate ended the proceedings for today.

    All the 10 ministerial nominees that faced the senators on Tuesday have been confirmed as ministers.

    The exercise will continue on Wednesday with the screening of second set of nominees.

  • Osagie Ehanire responds to questions

    Osagie Ehanire responds to questions

    Dr Osagie Ehanire, a ministerial nominee from Edo state is presently responding to questions from Senators on health related matters.