By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Former Governor of Kano state, Ibrahim Shekarau, alongside three others, would today appear before the Senate for screening as ministers of the government.
The Senate President, David Mark, made this announcement at the yesterday’s plenary, recalling that the names of the four nominees were forwarded to the Senate last month by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The three other nominees to be screened for ministerial posts include Adedayo Adeyeye (Ekiti), Stephen Orhu (Delta) and Abdul Bulama (Yobe).
In a related development, the Senate has scheduled today for debate on the alleged new policy in Imo state, which mandates northerners resident in the state to wear an identity cards before they would be allowed to move freely in the state.
This followed a motion to that effect brought by the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi.
Ningi noted that the action of the Imo state government was unconstitutional and should be condemned in its totality.
Mark, in his comments, corroborated Ningi’s submissions and following the approval by the senators, ruled that the issue be exhaustively debated by on the floor today.
Meanwhile, the Senate President has described the Late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, as a patriotic national leader, who openly condemned the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Mark stated this yesterday while rounding-off debate on the motion moved by Hayatu Gwarzo, Basheer Mohammed and Kabiru Gaya, on the demise of the late monarch.
The senate President described the deceased as a fortright, strict, disciplined and fearless traditional ruler whose frank and candid comments on crucial issues are usually respected.
Mark said, “The late Emir will not say or do anything he never believed in, for instance, when I visited in Kano few years back on the Boko Haram issue, the late Emir frankly submitted that Boko Haram will not do anything good for this country.
He also asked the government to move against it very quickly.
In their contributions, the three senators from Kano state described the late monarch, who was a former Nigerian Ambassador to Senegal, as a wise manger of human affairs in a huge cosmopolitan which the ancient city had developed into.
They noted that the greatest characteristics of the late emir was the friendship he cultivated across religion, ethnic and regional divide throughout his reign and that his period witnessed phenomenal changes in the economic, educational, infrastructural and social life of Kano.
Also, the Senate observed a minute silence in honour of the late monarch and agreed to send a high-powered delegate to commiserate with his family.
