PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari might name his ministerial nominees this week, the Senate president Ahmad Lawal announced on Wednesday during a plenary session.
Over a month after President Buhari’s inauguration, Nigerians have been waiting for the list to be made public.
Senator Bassey Akpan representing Akwa-Ibom North-east had asked Lawan to compel President Buhari to carry out his constitutional duty on time.
“Based on our own calendar, I think we should be proceeding on our long annual vacation in the next two weeks and I also know that in line with your vision for a new Nigeria, you believe that we should return the country to January to December budget fiscal period.
“It means we have to put ourselves under pressure…There is a need for you to urge Mr President to send the list of ministerial nominees,” he said
Lawan assured the senators that the executive is working on the list and could transmit it before the end of the week.
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“I think this is to inform this Senate that the executive arm is working hard to get the list to the Senate. I can imagine that before this week runs out, we could get the list. But I want to assure you that once we get the list, every senator here has shown the desire to stay long enough to screen and confirm the nominees in the interest of this country,” he said.
In another development, the Senate asked its ad hoc committee to probe the recent Rivers State explosion and also extend its scope to last week’s pipeline explosion which occurred in Ijegun area of Lagos State.
The decision was arrived at due to the similarities and occurrence of the two incidents within the same period.
The senators observed a minute’s silence in honour of Nigerians who lost their lives in the Ijegun explosion. It also urged its Committee on Petroleum Resources when constituted, to intensify efforts on the Petroleum Industry Bill to discourage vandalisation of oil pipelines.
Amos Abba is a journalist with the International Center for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, who believes that courageous investigative reporting is the key to social justice and accountability in the society.