NATIONAL NATIONAL News

Senate To Introduce Bill Mandating Ministerial Nominees Presented With Portfolios

Written by Yusuf Zubairu
Senator Aminu Abbas, representing Adamawa central in the Nigerian Senate.

Senator representing Adamawa Central in the Nigerian Senate, Alhaji Aminu Abbas says the 10th Senate plans to introduce a Bill requiring ministerial nominees to be presented together with their portfolios.

He made this known while answering questions from the national Assembly correspondents on the ongoing screening of minsters nominees by the Senate in Abuja.

Alhaji Aminu Abbas, who was elected under the umbrella of People’s Democratic Party PDP said similar Bill was part of the amendments sent to the Former President for accent but had not been accented to.

The Senator explained that if the ministerial list had come with portfolio, Senators would have better opportunity to ask many questions especially on the area the Nominee was expected to discharge his responsibility.

The legislator, who praised the seamless and problem-free screening process on the first and second days, highlighted the cooperation of both members and nominees in adhering to the established rules and regulations.

Senator Aminu Abbas also mentioned that while the Senate possesses the authority to reject a nominee for incompetence, providing false information, or presenting forged documents, he believes there won’t be any rejections in the current screening process since everything is proceeding smoothly.

On why the Senate accepted an incomplete list of the Nominees from the President, he said there was nothing wrong with that since the names were submitted within the 60 days stipulated in the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“The Constitution said names of the Ministerial Nominees must be submitted within 60 days and the President submitted it within that time frame as such, there is no problem”

Radio Nigeria correspondent in the National Assembly reports that the second batch of the ministerial list has been submitted to the Senate by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for final screwing and confirmation.

COV /TSIBIRI