Buhari to forward ministerial nominees to NASS this week – Lawan

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari will this week send the list of his ministerial nominees to the National Assembly for screening and confirmation before the lawmakers will proceed on their annual recess billed for July 26.

The Senate President made this disclosure while responding to a motion moved by Senator Albert Bassey Akpan (PDP Akwa Ibom North East), in which he said the President should be made to understand the urgency required to bring the list to the parliament for early screening and confirmation if the January to December budget calendar must be attained.

Replying on order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules under personal explanation, Senator Akpan informed the Senate of the impending recess next two weeks.

“Mr President, in view of the yearly long recess both the Senate and the House of Representatives, will embark upon in two weeks time, there is need to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to forward the much expected ministerial list to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

“This is very important because if such list is not made available for the required legislative attention before we embark on the long recess, there will be no Ministers and by extension, federal cabinet for the President to work with till September.

“Making the list more urgent now from the President before our long recess, is the fact that if it is not made available, concerted efforts being made by both arms of government to return the yearly budget cycle to January – December will be defeated.

“On this note, I call on the President of the Senate to inform President Muhammadu Buhari of the need for the list before we embark on recess”, he said.

At this juncture, the President of the Senate informed the Senate that on a good authority, he was reliably informed that the list will be out before the end of this week.

“Let me on the strength of this notion inform the Senate that the Executive arm of government is working very hard on the ministerial list. In fact, the list, based on information at my disposal, will be forwarded to us by the President before the end of this week.

“May I therefore appeal to us all, to be ready to make the necessary sacrifice in terms of sufficient time, to be spent in carrying out thorough screening and confirmation of appointments of the expected ministerial nominees”, he said.