President Bola Tinubu has replaced a ministerial nominee, Maryam Shetty, choosing two others, Festus Keyamo and Dr Mariga Mahmoud.

This was revealed when Senate President Godswill Akpabio read out a letter by the President at Friday’s plenary session.

This came moments before the fourth round of screening commenced with a former governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, who mounted the podium at 12:14 pm.

Those awaiting screening also include former Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi).

Others are Abdullahi Gwarzo, Bosun Tijani, Isiak Salako, Tunji Alausa, Yusuf Sununu, Ibrahim Geidam, Lola John, Shuaibu Audu, Tahir Mamman, Aliyu Abdullahi, Alkali Saidu, Heineken Lokpobori, Maigari Ahmadu, and Zaphaniah Jisalo.

Shetty’s name was however withdrawn from the supplementary list of ministerial nominees.

The session was preceded by three others, starting on Monday with the screening of 14 out of the first batch of ministerial nominees, including 28 names, forwarded by the President last Thursday.

Those screened included former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Abubakar Kyari from Borno State; Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia State); Bello Muhammad (Sokoto State); Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State); and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa State).

Others are Joseph Utsev (Benue State), Olubunmi Tunji Ojo (Ondo State), Betta Edu (Cross River State), Uju Kennedy Ohaneye (Anambra State), Abubakar Momoh (Edo State), John Enoh (Cross River State), Iman Suleiman Ibrahim (Nasarawa State), and Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi State).

The Senate on Tuesday screened nine nominees, including ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Wale Edun, Uche Nnaji, Stella Okotete, Adebayo Adelabu, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Hannatu Musawa, and Musa Dangiwa.

The exercise resumed on Wednesday with the screening of presidential spokesman Dele Alake, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Lateef Fagbemi, Muhammad Idris, Ali Pate, and Doris Uzoka.

Later, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila submitted Tinubu’s supplementary ministerial list with 19 nominees to the Senate.

Section 147 (3) of the 1999 Constitution mandates the President to appoint at least one minister from each of the 36 states. However, 11 states – Adamawa, Bayelsa, Gombe, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Osun, Yobe, Plateau and Zamfara — and the Federal Capital Territory don’t have ministerial nominees yet.

By Oluwatobi Aworinde

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