• APC, PDP get 49, 20 slots, respectively
• Senate gives 43 confirmed ministers marching orders to perform
• Presidency hails Senate for swift confirmation of nominees
Deji Elumoye and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
The Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, yesterday released the list of chairmen and vice chairmen of the 69 standing committees of the Senate, less than two months after the inauguration of the Ninth Senate on Tuesday, June 11.
Lawan made the announcement shortly before the Senate adjourned plenary till September 24.
This is coming as the Senate yesterday gave the 43 confirmed ministers-designate marching orders to hit the ground running when sworn in and assigned portfolios by assisting the president in putting the country’s economy into shape.
The presidency also last night in Abuja praised the Senate for its perceived show of diligence in the swift confirmation of the ministerial nominees through an efficient process.
A breakdown of the committee chairmanship slots showed that senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) got 49 slots while those of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had 20 slots.
Further breakdown of the chairmanship slots on zonal basis revealed that North-west had 16; North-east 11; North-central 10; South-west 13; South-east nine and South-south, 10 slots.
The chairmanship of 16 out of the 23 of the standing committees considered to be ‘juicy,’ were given to APC Senators while their PDP counterparts got the remaining seven.
The committees are Appropriation, to be chaired by Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North); Agriculture – Abdullahi Adamu (APC Nasarawa West); Interior – Kashim Shetima ( APC Borno Central); Finance – Olamilekan Adeola (APC Lagos West); and Communication – Oluremi Tinubu (APC Lagos Central).
Others are Petroleum (Downstream), Sabo Mohammed (APC Jigawa North West); Marine Transport , Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central); Customs, Excise and Tariff , Francis Alimikhena (APC Edo North); Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Bamidele Opeyemi ( APC Ekiti Central ); Federal Capital Territory, Abubakar Kyari (APC Borno North); and Health (Secondary and Tertiary), Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe ( APC Kwara Central) .
The seven ‘juicy’ committees out of the 20 committees allocated to PDP Senators as chairmen are Petroleum (Upstream) to be chaired by Senator Albert Bassey Akpan (Akwa Ibom North East); Public Accounts , Mathew Urhoghide (Edo South); Gas Resources , James Manager (Delta South); Power, Steel and Metallurgy, Gabriel Suswam (Benue North East); Aviation, Dino Melaye (Kogi West); Local and Foreign Debts , Clifford Ordia (Edo Central) and Sports, Youths and Development, Obinna Ogba ( Ebonyi Central).
Other chairmen of the committees across party lines are Army, Ali Ndume (APC Borno South), Airforce , Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC Kebbi South), Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Suleiman Kwari ( APC Kaduna North); Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Uba Sani ( APC Kaduna Central); Capital Market, Ibikunle Amosun ( APC Ogun Central ); and Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD, Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP Enugu East).
Others are Culture and Tourism, Rochas Okorocha (APC Imo West); Defence , Aliyu Wamakko (APC Sokoto North); Diaspora and NGOs, Bashiru Ajibola (APC Osun Central); Drugs and Narcotics, Hezekaiah Dimka (APC Plateau Central); Ecology Climate Change, Mohammad Gusau (PDP Zamfara Central); Education (Basic and Secondary), Ibrahim Geidam ( APC Yobe East); Employment, Labour and Productivity – Ben Umajumogu ( APC Imo North); Environment, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu West); and Establishment and Public Service, Ibrahim Shekarau (APC Kano Central).
Others are Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Patrick Akinyelure (PDP Ondo Central); Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, Danjuma Laah (PDP Kaduna South), FERMA , Gershom Bassey (PDP Cross River South); Foreign Affairs , Mohammed Bulkachuwa (APC Bauchi North); Housing , Sam Egwu (PDP Ebonyi North); ICT and Cybercrime, Yakubu Useni (APC Kogi Central); INEC, Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South); Industries, Adebayo Osinowo (APC Lagos East); Information and National Communication, Danladi Sankara (APC Jigawa North East); Interparliamentary Affairs, Godiya Akwashiki ( APC Nasarawa South); Land Transport, Abdulfatai Buhari, (APC Oyo North); Legislative Compliance , Oriolowo Adeyemi (APC West); Local Content, Teslim Folarin (APC Oyo Central); Media and Public Affairs, Adedayo Adeyeye (APC Ekiti South); National Identity and National Population , Sa’idu Alkali (APC Gombe North).
Others include National Planning, Olubunmi Adetunmbi (APC Ekiti North); National Security and Intelligence , Abdullahi Gobir (APC Sokoto East); Navy, George Sekibo ( PDP Rivers East); Niger Delta, Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP Delta North); Police affairs, Dauda Jika (APC Bauchi Central); Poverty Alleviation and Social Investment Programme, Lawal Gumau (APC Bauchi South); and Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases – Chuwkuka Utazi (PDP Enugu North).
Others are Privatisation, Theodore Orji (PDP Abia Central); Public Procurement , Shuaibu Lau ( PDP Taraba North); Rules and Business, Sadiq Umar (APC Kwara North); Science and Technology, Uche Ekwunife (PDP Anambra Central); SenateServices , Sani Musa (APC Niger East); Solid Minerals, Mine, Steel Development and Metallurgy, Tanko Almakura (APC North); State and Local Government , Lekan Mustapha, (APC Ogun East); Special duties, Yusuf A Yusuf (APC Taraba Central); SDGs – Aisha Dahiru (APC Adamawa Central); Tertiary Institution and TETFUND, Ahmed Baba Kaita (APC Katsina North); Trade and Investment , Rose Oko (PDP Cross River North); Water Resources – Bello Mandiya (APC Katsina Central); Women Affairs and Youth Development, Betty Apiafi (PDP Rivers South); and Works, Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central);
The standing committees will be inaugurated upon the resumption of plenary after the Senate annual vacation on September 24.
The full list of the 69 committees’ chairmen and the vice chairmen are Agriculture – Abdullahi Adamu, Bima Enagi; Airforce – Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Michael Nnachi; Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes – Suleiman Kwari, Aliyu Wamakko; Appropriation – Barau Jibrin, Stella Oduah; Army – Ali Ndume, Abba Moro; Aviation – Dino Melaye, Bala Na’Allah; Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions – Uba Sani, Orji Uzor Kalu; Capital Market – Ibikunle Amosun, Binos Yero; Communications – Oluremi Tinubu, Ibrahim Bomai.
Others include: Cooperation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD – Chimaroke Nnamani, Yusuf Yusuf; Culture and Tourism – Rochas Okorocha, Ignatius Longjohn; Customs, Excise and Tarrifs – Francis Alimekhena, Francis Fadahunsi; Defence – Aliyu Wamakko, Istifanus Gyang; Diaspora and NGOs – Bashiru Ajibola, Ibrahim Oloriegbe; Downstream Petroleum Sector – Sabo Mohammed, Philip Aduda; Drugs and Narcotics – Hezekaiah Dimka, Chimaroke Nnamani; Ecology Climate Change – Mohammad Gusau, Olubunmi Adetunmbi; Education (Basic and Secondary) – Ibrahim Geidam, Akon Eyakenyi; Employment, Labour and Productivity – Ben Umajumogu, Kabiru Barkiya; Environment – Ike Ekweremadu, Ibrahim Hadejia; Establishment and Public Service – Ibrahim Shekarau, Barinadas Mpigi; Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions – Patrick Akinyelure, Ahmed Babba-Kaita; FCT – Abubakar Kyari, Tolu Odebiyi; Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs – Danjuma Laah, Yahaya Gumau; FERMA – Gershom Bassey, Kabir Barkiya; Finance – Adeola Olamilekan, Isa Jibrin; Foreign Affairs – Mohammed Bulkachuwa, Ignatius Longjohn; Gas Resources – James Manager, Biobaraku Wangagra; Health (Secondary and Tertiary) – Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Betty Apiafi; Housing – Sam Egwu, Lola Ashiru; ICT and Cybercrime – Yakubu Useni, Abdulfatai Buhari; INEC – Kabiru Gaya, Sahabi Ya’u; Industries – Adebayo Osinowo; Information and National Communication – Danladi Sankara, Aishatu Ahmed.
Other leaders of the committees are Interior -Kashim Shettima, Diri Douye; Interparliamentary Affairs – Godiya Akwashiki, Abba Moro; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters – Opeyemi Bamidele, Emmanuel Oker-Jev; Land Transport – Abdulfatai Buhari, Nicholas Tofowomo; Legislative Compliance – Oriolowo Adeyemi, Sabi Abdullahi; Local Content – Teslim Folarin, Sabi Abdullahi; Local and Foreign Debts – Clifford Ordia, Bima Enagi; Marine Transport – Danjuma Goje, Adebayo Osinowo; Media and Public Affairs – Adedayo Adeyeye, Akwashiki Godiya; National Identity and National Population – Sa’idu Alkali, Suleiman Kwari; National Planning – Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo; National Security and Intelligence – Abdullahi Gobir, Chukwuka Utazi; Navy – George Sekibo, Elisha Abbo; Niger Delta – Peter Nwaoboshi, Bulus Amos; Petroleum Upstream – Albert Akpan, Ifeanyi Ubah; Police affairs – Dauda Jika, Abubakar Tambuwal; Poverty Alleviation and Social Investment Programme – Lawal Gumau, Michael Nnachi.
The committee chairmen and vice chairmen also include: Power -Gabriel Suswam, Enyinnaya Abaribe; Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases – Chuwkuka Utazi, Sadiq Umar; Privatisation – Theodore Orji, Oriolowo Adeyemi; Public Accounts – Mathew Urghohide, Ibrahim Hassan; Public Procurement – Shuaibu Lau, Lola Ashiru; Rules and business – Sadiq Umar, Yahaya Abdullahi; Science and Technology – Uche Ekwunife, Robert Boroffice; Senate Services – Sani Musa, Lawal Hassan.
Others are Solid Minerals, Mine, Steel Development and Metallurgy – Tanko Almakura, Oriolowo Adeyeye; Sports and Social Development – Obinna Ogba, Joseph Garba; State and Local Government – Lekan Mustapha, Francis Onyewuchi; Special duties – Yusuf Yusuf, Biobaraku Wangagra; SDGs – Aisha Dahiru, Lekan Mustapha; Tertiary Institution and TETFUND – Ahmed Baba Kaita, Sandy Onor; Trade and Investment – Rose Oko, Francis Fadahunsi; Water Resources – Bello Mandiya, Christopher Ekpeyong; Women Affairs and Youth Development – Betty Apiafi, Aishatu Dahiru; and Works – Adamu Aliero, Emmanuel Bwacha.
Meanwhile, Lawan, yesterday gave the ministers-designate marching order to hit the ground running when sworn in and assigned portfolios by assisting the president in putting the nation’s economy into shape.
He painted a gloomy picture of the economy, saying the current state of the economy is confusing.
Lawan, who spoke at plenary after the confirmation of ministers, lamented that the country’s budget implementation procedure is not only in chaos but in tatters.
“Our budget implementation is in chaos, is in tatters to the point that it is difficult at the moment to state where the economy is “
“For those that have been confirmed by this senate, the message is that they must be prepared to work with this Senate.
“We are going to engage them in our oversight and other legislative activities. What we want to achieve is to have a relationship that is based on mutual respect and truth. While we are not going to be frivolous, we are going to be firm; we are going to be serious with our oversight.
“Oversight is the most potent instrument at our disposal to ensure that the legislation we make particularly the budget that we pass is implemented as passed in the general interest of Nigerians .
“It is our determination and resolve that we are able to work on the budget and before Christmas we should be able to pass the budget provided it is in the national by September or first week of October. It is doable, it is achievable and we believe that Nigeria should return back to the January-Decemebr budget cycle – let our economy have predictable parameters.
The confirmed Ministers include Uchechukwu Ogah (Abia); Mohammed Musa Bello(Adamawa); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Chris Ngige (Anambra); Sharon Ikeazor (Anambra); Adamu Adamu (Bauchi); Ambassador Maryam Katagun (Bauchi); Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa); George Akume (Benue) and Mohammed Baba Shehuri (Borno).
Others are Goddy Jedy Agba (Cross River); Festus Keyamo (Delta); Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi); Osagie Ehanire (Edo); Clement Agba (Edo); Richard Adeniyi Adebayo (Ekiti); Geoffrey Onyeama (Enugu); Ali Isa Pantami (Gombe); Emeka Nwajiuba (Imo); Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa); Zainab Ahamed (Kaduna); and Muhammad Mahmood (Kaduna).
Also confirmed are Sabo Nanono (Kano); Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Kano); Hadi Sirika (Katsina); Abubakar Malami (Kebbi); Ramatu Tijjani (Kogi); Lai Mohammed (Kwara); Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Adeleke Mamora (Lagos); Mohammed H. Abdullahi (Nasarawa); Zubair Dada (Niger); Olamilekan Adegbite (Ogun); Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Sunday Dare (Oyo); Paulen Tallen (Plateau); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Maigarai Dingyadi (Sokoto); Sale Mamman (Taraba); Abubakar D. Aliyu (Yobe); and Sadiya Umar Faruk (Zamfara).
Meanwhile, the Senate after the confirmation of the Ministers yesterday proceeded on a two-month annual vacation and adjourned plenary till September 24.
This followed a motion to this effect moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abubakar and seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
In a related development, the presidency last night in Abuja praised the Senate for its perceived show of diligence in the swift confirmation of ministerial nominees through an efficient process.
Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said Nigeria wanted results, and with the list of ministers now, the presidency was confident that they would be delivered adding that specific portfolios would be assigned with the inauguration of the cabinet.
The statement added: “This is a fine, capable and committed group of individuals. Working together, they shall help achieve what we all want and labour toward: a secure, prosperous, corruption-free nation in which nobody is left behind, and talents can flourish.
“The executive approaches this ninth National Assembly with a renewed spirit of openness and enthusiasm. Where once we sometimes found impasse, we welcome collaboration; where once suspicion took hold, together, we shall demonstrate mutual trust.
“Scrutiny should never mean deadlock but proper governance. And with a new swathe of national legislators and ministers, we are confident the executive and the legislature can – in partnership – unleash the change Nigerians deserve.”
