Juliet Buna
The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Balarabe Abbas Lawal Kaduna, Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Kwara and Ayodele Olawande Ondo as ministers.
According to The PUNCH, the Majority of senators supported their confirmation in a voice vote immediately after their screening exercise on Wednesday during plenary.
Balarabe from Kaduna collapsed at the Senate chamber when he appeared before the senators.
Balarabe, who was the second nominee to be screened after Dr. Jamila, collapsed more than 15 minutes into his screening exercise.
Standing on the podium, he collapsed when Kaduna South Senator, Sunday Marshall Katung, was speaking about Balarabe’s administrative experience in Kaduna.
After Balarabe had finished reading his profile before the senators, the Kaduna lawmaker, while endorsing Balarabe’s ministerial nomination, said all three senators from the state had no objection to his nomination.
Senator Katung had not finished his remarks when the nominee collapsed, prompting Senate President Godswill Akpabio to shout, “Give him water, give him water and sugar.”
Akpabio immediately ordered journalists and cameras out of the Senate chamber while the live streaming of the screening was also halted.
The Senate then resumed after about a 45-minute break and thereafter confirmed the three nominees.
The names of the nominees were on Tuesday sent by President Bola Tinubu and read by the Senate.
