Nasir El-Rufai’s confirmation as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been put on hold by the Nigerian Senate.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, also suspended the confirmation of Sani Danladi, the former governor of Taraba State and Stella Okotete from Delta State.
According to Akpabio, the nominees’ confirmation would be subjected to a security report that the Senate was yet to receive.
On Monday, August 7, during the Plenary Session, Mr Akpabio, disclosed that the three remaining nominees would be confirmed after due security clearance.
El-Rufa’s confirmation as a minister was suspended because Senator Idris Karimi from Kogi State, raised an alarm that he was with a petition against the former governor, centering on security and religion.
The Senate President dismissed the petition stating that their job was to ask the nominees questions about their nomination and appointment if they succeeded.
He however noted that such a petition would be forwarded to the appropriate authority for investigation, and the Upper Chamber would work with the investigation report.
Abubakar Sani Danladi, also a former governor of Taraba State, was not confirmed by the Red Chamber, the senate promised to confirm him on a later date once investigation is concluded on the security issues surrounding the ex-governor.
The delay in confirmation of Okotete, the Executive Director (Business Development) of Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), owed to the fact she was accused of non-declaration of her assets and a pending case being investigated by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on allegation that she was operating a business while she was in active service.
The Senate President also made it known she would be confirmed once the final findings on the aforementioned issues are concluded.
