Tinubu Nominates Keyamo, Withdraws Kano’s Nominee, Maryam Shetty 

  Senate screens Oyetola, Bagudu, Matawale, others

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu yesterday wrote to the Senate about his decision to withdraw the nomination of Dr. Maryam Shetty as ministerial nominee from Kano State.

He replaced her with Mariya Mahmood but gave no reasons for his action.

Tinubu in the same letter also appointed Mr. Festus Keyamo as a ministerial nominee and urged the Senate to screen him for confirmation.

The development has therefore brought the second batch of ministerial nominees to 20.

The full list of the ministerial nominees so far sent to the red chamber for screening and confirmation now stood at 48.

This was contained in a letter sent to the Senate yesterday and read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Shetty, the ministerial nominee from Kano at the last minute broke down in tears at the National Assembly complex yesterday.

The dropped nominee whose name was number 12 of the Order Paper already shared to the senators for the screening, received the shock of her life when Akpabio read Tinubu’s letter, replacing her with another person.

The obviously embarrassed nominee who dressed in black Jalamia with a red head tie, was watching the proceedings at the Senate chamber on a television set mounted in the waiting room when Akpabio broke the news.

THISDAY observed that some of Shetty’s family members, associates and well wishers who had accompanied her to the red chamber in solidarity also broke down in tears.

One of her associates whose name could not be immediately confirmed was seen lamenting that Shetty was unfairly treated.

The associate said, “Why should the President allow her to come for screening when he knows that her nomination has been withdrawn. This is very unfair.”

Investigations by THISDAY further revealed that the Shetty was replaced at the last minute on Thursday night following the emergence of former governor Abdullahi Ganduje as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was learnt that Shetty, who was replaced with her classmate in the university and former Commissioner for Higher Education in Kano State, allegedly campaigned for former vice president Yemi Osinbajo, in the build up to the APC Presidential primary in 2022.

Ganduje allegedly capitalised on his new position to influence Shetty’s replacement with his own candidate.

 Shetty was national leader of an APC support group, #WeBelieve.

She is a physiotherapist who was born into the Kano royal family. She once worked at the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.

She obtained a Masters Degree from the University of East London, Stratford where she majored in sports physiotherapy.

The Senate yesterday screened the new batch of ministerial nominees.

President Bola Tinubu had on Wednesday sent an additional list of 19 nominees to complement the previously sent 28-man nominees.

The nominees that appeared before the Senate to answer questions were, former Osun governor, Adegboyega Oyetola;  former Kebbi governor, Atiku Bagudu; former Plateau governor, Simon Bako Lalong; former Zamfara governor, Bello Matawalle; and former governor of Yobe State, Ibrahim Geidam.

 Others were Dr. Tunji Alausa (Lagos); Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Niger); Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa); Senator Alkali Ahmed Saidu (Gombe); Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu ( Kebbi); and Hon. Zephaniah Jisalo (FCT)

Also included are: Ahmed Tijani Gwarzo (Kano); Bosun Tijani  (Ogun);  Dr. Mariga Mahmud, (Kano); Festus Keyamo ( Delta); Dr. Isiak Salako (Ogun);  Lola Ade John (Lagos); Prof. Tahir Mamman ( Adamawa); Uba Tahir Mamman ( Adamawa); and Prince Shuaibu Audu (Kogi).

The Senate had on Wednesday concluded the screening of the first batch of ministerial nominees.

Dr. Tunji Alausa during the screening, said special funds should be made available to all the medical schools in the country so that the nation could provide more medical students.

According to him, the lack of a health insurance system is the cause of the high cost of medical care.

He said healthcare givers should stop insisting on police reports before treating those who suffered gunshot injuries.

Alausa said, “You don’t need police report to treat a trauma patient. This should be communicated to the Inspector General of Police.

“The health care providers are scared to treat people with gunshot injury thinking that the police will go and prosecute them. They are afraid that they could be accused of treating a suspected armed robber.

“I think somebody with a gunshot injury should be allowed to live to tell his or story. He should be rescued and treated first. He could be prosecuted later. Health caregiver should do their best to save the lives of all trauma patients.”