Senate Begins Sitting Without Ministerial List

By Ismail Mudashir
Nigeria Daily Trust
Sep 30 2015 1:02PM

The senate began sitting on Wednesday without the much anticipated ministerial list from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Our correspondent reports that the tradition is that communication from the President is read before the commencement of proper legislative business but that did not happen.

The media was awash with reports that president Buhari through his special assistant on national assembly matters (senate) Senator Ita Enang on Tuesday transmitted the list to the leadership of the senate.

Nigerians have been waiting for the appointment of ministers by president Buhari since May 29 when he was sworn in but the president said he needed three months to select the best people possible into his cabinet. Buhari had set September 30 deadline for himself for the appointment of his ministers.

On Wednesday, the minority leader of the senate Godswill Apakbio raised a point of order that Senate President, Bukola Saraki had finished reading the announcement without the list.

“The President had promised to announce his ministerial nominees today and the Senate President has finished reading the days announcements without it, why?,” Akpabio  queried.

Bukola did not respond but Senate leader, Bala Ibn Na'Allah said the legislative day had not elapsed. He demanded the minority leader to be fair.

Saraki however ruled Akpabio out of order saying the explanation given by the Na’Allah was “explicit” enough.

The day’s sitting is still on.