Senate confirms Bianca, Oduwole, 5 others as ministers

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the seven new ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The new ministers confirmed during plenary are Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction), Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi (Labour and Employment), Bianca Odinaka Odumegu – Ojukwu (Foreign Affairs – State).

Others are Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Development), Idi Muktar Maiha, (Livestock Development), Rt Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata (Housing – State) and Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad (Education – State).

They were earlier scheduled to be screened on Tuesday but the exercise was postponed to allow them complete their documentation process, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado.

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Recall that President Tinubu had reshuffled his cabinet by sacking six ministers and naming seven others. The president also swapped the portfolios of 10 others ministers.

The President also in a letter read during plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, last week, asked the red chamber to confirm the nominees in line with section 147, of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Akpabio charged the new ministers to deliver on their mandate by contributing towards the implementation of the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

He also asked presidents that would be elected after Tinubu, to replicate his initiative by imbibing the culture of assigning portfolios to ministerial nominees before they appear for screening at the National Assembly.