Lawmakers In Dark Over President Tinubu’s Ministerial List As Lagos, 20 Others Yet To Swear-in Commissioners

With barely six days to the deadline set by the Nigerian constitution, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration and 21 out of 28 states nationwide have yet to swear in their ministers and commissioners, respectively.

Naija News reports that according to the constitution, the president and state governors have until July 27 to send the list of ministers and commissioners to the Senate and various Houses of Assembly, whose confirmation they must get before their swearing-in.

The 1999 Constitution, as amended, gives the President a minimum of 60 days to constitute his cabinet, out of which Tinubu has about eight days left to unveil his ministers.

It was also gathered that only seven states have sworn in their commissioners since the governors’ 2023 inauguration.

Out of 36 states, 28 inaugurated their governors on May 29, 2023, which consisted of 18 newbies and ten returning governors.

Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that Abia, Delta, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Rivers, and Taraba states had sworn in their commissioners after their lists were sent to and confirmed by the state Houses of Assembly.

The 21 states yet to swear in their commissioners are Benue, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, and Yobe.

Others include Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.

There are ten returnee governors: Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Babagana Zulum (Borno); Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Abdullahi Sule (Niger); Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Mai Buni (Yobe).

Meanwhile, lawmakers across party lines have told the platform mentioned above that they were in the dark over the whereabouts of the list of ministerial nominees by President Bola Tinubu.

The lawmaker, in separate interviews, said they were unaware of what stage the ministerial list was and did not have any information on the names of those embedded in the letter.

It was gathered that President Tinubu had forwarded the names of some individuals to security agencies for clearance, but top sources said their clearance might not indicate that they would make the list when the nominees would be eventually presented to the Senate for screening.

According to sources, the list containing the ministerial nominees was delayed due to security checks by the Department of State Services.

Although the list of ministerial nominees has yet to be made public, notable former governors, including Nyesom Wike, Atiku Bagudu, and Aminu Masari, are rumoured to be among the nominees.

Speaking to journalists on the ministerial list, Senator Victor Umeh, (Labour Party, Anambra Central) said he was not aware of the stage of the ministerial list.

He also debunked stories claiming that the Senate, during an executive session, discussed the ministerial list.

He said, “I don’t know anything about the list. I am not speaking to you as an authority because I am not a spokesperson but I am not aware of the arrival of the list to the Senate.

“The Senate’s closed-door meeting has nothing to do with the ministerial list as reported; rather it was due to other issues. The report of the Senate discussing ministerial list in a closed-door session is fake and misleading.”

Also, an APC lawmaker in the South-West, who begged for anonymity, said that he could not tell at what junction the ministerial list was but was confident that the Senate would accommodate it whenever it got delivered here.

The Senator said, “I don’t know anything about the list. It may get here towards the end of the month. But sincerely, I know nothing about it, and since I don’t have an interest in it, there is nothing to be eager about. Whenever the list gets here, the Senate would consider and screen them.”