Akpabio Praises Tinubu As Senate Confirms Ministerial Nominees

It was all glowing tributes to President Bola Tinubu for nominating Bianca Ojukwu and six others for ministeria slots when the Senate confirmed the nominees on Wednesday.

Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, who has become the number one supporter of the president, heaped praises as he’s wont to since May 29, 2023, when he said “I’m impressed by the quality of the nominations.

“I think Mr President took his time in selecting these ministers,” he said.

The Senate President who has blurred the line sepating the arms of government has become the Chief apologist of the president sparing no occasion to downplay the hardship in the land and idolising Tinubu, who’s being blamed for the economic collapse.

In July, at the height of the national hardship protests, Akpabio said at an event in Rivers State, that, “we would be here eating while protesters can go and protest,” a statement that was condemned for being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

During the maiden screening of the ministerial nominees in 2023, Akpabio courted controversies as she defended the ministers vowing they would deliver the goods.

Over one year now, the president considered some of the ministers unfit and sacked them, prompting the nomination of Bianca Ojukwu and six others.

Nevertheless, Akpabio’s eye-catching eyeservice did not take the shine off the screening and confirmation hearing with each of the nominees allowed to address the red chamber and then confirmed.

Those confirmed were Nentawe Yilwatda, as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, as Minister of Labour and Employment; and as Bianca Ojukwu, Minister of State for Doreign Affairs.

Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, was confirmed as Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, as Minister of Livestock Development; and Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Trade and Investment.

Also, Suwaiba Said Ahmad was confirmed as Minister of State for Education.

The president had sacked five ministers and afterwards wrote the senate seeking confirmation of these nominees to fill the vacant slots and new portfolios in his cabinet.

However, during the confirmation hearing, Bianca Ojukwu decried lack of adequate funding for Nigian mission abroad.

“It is true that because of funding most ambassadors are constrained to renovate mission buildings,” she said.

Yilwatda said, “If there is no geospatial data of poor people you do not know how many people to reach in your community or senatorial district.”

Also speaking, Dingyadi said he has what it takes to negotiate with organised labour, noting, “What is important is that we try to carry them along. I want to say I am ready and willing to take everybody along.”

The nominations were ritually confirmed afterwards after Akpabio, who was presiding over plenary put them to vote.