Former National Security Adviser, General Mohammed Aliyu Gusau; erstwhile Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro; and former Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Boni Haruna as well as eight others have been confirmed as ministers.
However, the confirmation of Alhaji Abduljelili Oyewale Adesiyan divided the Senate. The signs had been ominous since last week, when the nominee, without being asked, denied any involvement in the assassination of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige.
While Adesiyan had insisted that Ige was his mentor and beneficiary whom he could never harm, Senator Ehigie Uzamere (Edo South) urged him to prove his innocence by swearing by the Qu’ran.
But at the resumed Senate confirmation of the ministerial nominees, Senator Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central) raised a Point of Order, saying all three senators from Osun State are averse to Adesiyan’s nomination.
“As one of those representing Osun State, I rise to inform this House, because this Order also refers not just to Order and statutes but also to customs; and one of the customs in this House is to make serious considerations when objections are made concerning any ministerial nomination”, Adeyeye said.
“I have approached you many times, Mr. President to alert you of the objection of all three senators from Osun State to the nomination of Mr. Adesiyan. During the hearing, I also approached your seat and I sought your wisdom to guide me as to when I should voice our collective and unanimous objection on this nomination”.
“You advised that I should wait until during the confirmation process. Accordingly, I kept my silence until now. Even though I circulated the grounds of our objection to members of this chamber, Mr. President Sir, I want to place it on record again that all three Senators from Osun State unanimously oppose this nomination”.
Adesiyan was confirmed nonetheless. Also confirmed were former Nigerian Ambassador to China, Aminu Wali; former Majority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives, Mohammed Wakil; Mrs Akon Etim Eyakenyi; and Mrs Lawrencia Labaran Mallam, representing Kano, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna States.
Dr. Khaliru Alhassan from Sokoto, Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan, from Osun, Dr T.W. Danagogo from Rivers states and Mrs Asabe Asmau Ahmed from Niger states were also confirmed.
Conversely, the nomination of Hajia Jamilila Salik from Kano State was deferred without reason, while the nominee herself did not appear with others for the screening.
It is believed that Salik’s name has been dropped, and her place will now be taken by former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, who recently defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
