By Ezrel Tabiowo and Abdullahi M. Gulloma, Abuja
True to his words, President Muhammadu Buhari met up on the September deadline he gave Nigerians on the submission of the list of his ministerial nominees.
But Nigerians would still have to endure further wait, at least to know who and who made the long-awaited list. Blueprint reliably gathered that the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has vowed not to open the letter handed over to him by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari “until the Upper Chamber reconvenes on Tuesday.”
Kyari was accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, at exactly 5.00pm yesterday.
Although the Senate received the list yesterday evening, the Upper Chamber is however insisting that the names will not be disclosed to Nigerians until Tuesday when the body reconvenes.
The list came after a long wait, spanning over three months, by Nigerians who anxiously yearned to see the Federal Executive Council constituted by the governing All Progressives Congress-led government.
Confirming the receipt of the list in his twitter handle at exactly 5:20 pm yesterday, the Senate President Bukola Saraki, tweeted that the list had been received by him, saying “I can confirm that I just received the list of ministerial nominees from President Muhammedu Buhari.”
The source who does not want to be named, quoted Saraki as saying that since the president will be making a national broadcast to tell Nigerians what he has for them today, they would also wait before making further comments.
The broadcast, according to a statement by Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, will take place at 7am.
Debunking earlier reports that the list was already with the Senate, Saraki had, during the waiting game, tweeted at about 4:00pm that he was yet to receive the list.
Earlier at yesterday’s plenary, senators belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party, lamented Buhari’s initial failure to officially forward the names of ministerial nominees to the senate for screening.
Leading the pack was Senator Godswill Akpabio, who raised a point of order under matters of urgent importance. He lamented that despite the president’s promise of forwarding the names of ministerial nominees in September, the Senate was yet to receive same as at yesterday which, he said, was the last day of the month.
But the Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC Kebbi South), who came under a counter point of order, defended President Buhari, saying there was still hope that he would transmit same to the red chamber.
According to him, the President had until midnight today (yesterday) to forward the names of nominees to the Senate President, adding that until the expiration of today(yesterday), Buhari cannot be blamed for not living up to his promise.
Also in a telephone chat with our correspondent, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Yusuph Olaniyonu, who confirmed the submission of the list to the Senate, however declined to disclose the names of nominees who made the list, adding that same will be officially read on the floor during plenary next week Tuesday.
Briefing newsmen immediately after plenary on the procedure for screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees, Senate’s spokesperson, Senator Dino Melaye said the eighth senate upon receiving the President’s ministerial list, would immediately expedite action on same, but in a thorough way that reflects due diligence.
He added that only nominees who met the constitutional and moral requirements will be cleared by the upper chamber.
“Once again, we want to reassure Nigeria again that we will attend to the ministerial nominees expeditiously but diligently.
“Due process will be followed and I repeat that it is not going to be business as usual. We are going to properly screen all nominees and only those who meet the constitutional and moral requirements shall be cleared,” Melaye said.