Senate Won’t Clear Incompetent Ministerial Nominees, Senate Leader Reveals

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele yesterday assured Nigerians that the upper chamber would not clear incompetent ministerial nominees, promising that they would be properly screened.

Bamidele, also Chairman of the Southern Senators’ Forum, stated that the federal government would soon roll out social investment programmes to palliate the sufferings of the masses, especially poorest of the poor in the country.

He made the disclosure during one of the programmes tagged “24-Hour Marathon Praise and Worship Service” organised by his admirers to mark his 60th birthday.

President Bola Tinubu had submitted the much-awaited ministerial list to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Thursday.

The list was read to other distinguished senators by Akpabio on the floor of the chamber. The number of names sent to the Senate was 28 with no state of origin attached.

Speaking with journalists at the 24-hours marathon praise, Bamidele disclosed that Senate was desirous and keen about ensuring that those holding pivotal positions under Tinubu’s presidency are those with capacities to deliver.

He said: “Let me assure Nigerians that the screening will not be only bow and go, except for those who had been members of the National Assembly before and whom we knew and appreciated that they have the wherewithal to give Nigerians qualitative leadership.

“Nigerians expected us to be thorough. They are expecting us to do a thorough screening. But take a bow and go is not an unparliamentary convention. It has become a practice all over the world and that person must be a former member of the parliament who is well known to us.

“Somebody we have confidence in his ability. We are going to follow the constitution to ensure that we deliver our mandate to make those who voted for us happy. This will occur at the level of parliament, oversight functions and at the committee level. 

“We will partner Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deliver on his promises to Nigerians. We are determined to ensure that all the three arms of government, particularly the judiciary, are put on a good footing to be able to deliver justice without fear or favour. We are determined to ensure that the right people are brought on board.”

On the fuel subsidy removal, Bamidele stated that the federal government would soon roll out social investment programmes to palliate the sufferings of the masses, especially poorest of the poor in the country.

He said the federal government “will put palliatives in place to help the poorest of the poor. There is also another category of palliatives that will be rolled out for the civil servants apart from the promised salary increment that will be done across states and at the federal level.

“The removal is very significant because the federal government will be able to save a lot of money to develop infrastructure and make all Nigerians happy. That was the intention of President Tinubu about the removal.

“He knew what Nigerians are passing through and efforts are underway to cushion the effects of this removal,” the senate leader said.

He, however, appreciated God Almighty for sparing his life to celebrate 60th birthday, describing the gesture as an uncommon favour and having a retrospect of what he had passed through in his political journeys.