The Senate, on Wednesday, confirmed the ministerial nomination of Abbas Balarabe from Kaduna State, whose name was sent by President Bola Tinubu to replace ex-Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, whose nomination was denied by the Senate.
The Senate also approved the ministerial nominations of Ondo State’s Ayodele Olawande, 34, and Kwara State’s Dr. Jamila Ibrahim, 37.
Balarabe, who passed out on the podium shortly after introducing himself to the Senate, was the next to be screened after Ibrahim, who took the stage first, the session descended into chaos.
About 15 minutes into his screening session, Balarabe had just finished outlining his background and accomplishments to the senators.
While making submissions in support of Balarabe’s nomination, Kaduna South Senator Sunday Katung was standing when the candidate passed out.
“Give him (Balarabe) sugar and water!” yelled Senate President Godswill Akpabio during the incident.
In addition, Akpabio gave orders for cameramen and reporters to stop filming and leave the Senate chamber.
The nominee was then taken to the National Assembly clinic.
When medical personnel entered the chamber to revive the ministerial candidate who had already been seated, there was complete confusion throughout the room.
After gathering his courage and strength, the nominee begged the Senate to let him continue the meeting, but he was told to leave and take care of his health.
After about a 45-minute break, the Senate reconvened to interview Olawande, the third candidate.
The Senate later approved the three nominees.
The President now has 48 ministerial appointees following the addition of three.
Yemi Adaramodu, the spokesperson for the Senate, subsequently outlined why the Senate continued to confirm Balarabe despite the fact that he passed all required inspections despite collapsing.
The nominee has been stabilized and is now fine, according to Adaramodu. He collapsed during his screening because of fatigue.
The nominee wanted to continue, but the Senate told him to leave and get more rest and medical care.
We informed him that we no longer needed to toil over him because we had access to his impressive resume.
The Senate insisted that he not move forward with the screening despite the nominees’ requests to do so. We told him that although he truly wanted to serve Nigeria, he couldn’t do so after his death. He must be alive in order to serve.
“We have reviewed his resume, spoken with him, and confirmed the results of all required security checks. “
The Senate’s approval of the two young nominees’ performances, Adaramodu continued, was also expressed by them.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, tragedy struck when Tijani Adeyemi, Senate correspondent for the Tribune Newspaper, suffered a cardiac arrest and died inside one of the National Assembly shuttle buses.
By the time he arrived at the checkpoint, the Tribune reporter who had left the Mopol Gate main gate at 10 am on one of the shuttles had already passed away.
When he was rushed to the clinic of the Federation’s Secretary General, attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was later declared dead.
After being declared dead at the medical clinic, Adeyemi’s body was then kept at the National Assembly’s clinic for transport and burial.
He was buried in accordance with Islamic customs at the Gudu Cemetery.
