Senate halts screening of three ministerial nominees over disparity in records

The screening of three ministerial nominees has been put on hold by the Senate owing to disparity in their age and academic records.

Of the 14 nominees listed on the order paper for screening, seven were asked to take a bow and go, while four others were screened.

Those whose screening was put on hold and asked to clarify issues were Prof. Joseph Utsev who is currently the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, Benue State.

Utsev, in his resume indicated that he was born in 1980 and finished his primary education in 1989 at the age of nine, thereby drawing the attention of the Senate on how he would be in primary one at age four.

The two others were Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi from Taraba State, who was alleged to have been banned by the Supreme Court from holding public office for ten years and Bello Mohammed from Sokoto State whose case had to do with his secondary school leaving certificate.

Those asked to take a bow and go includes the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike two-term members of House of Representatives, Abubakar Momoh, from Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State.

Others are Senator Abubakar Kyari, who was in the 8th and 9th Senate and currently the Acting National Charman of ruling All Progressives Congress; a Senator in the 8th Senate, Senator John Enoh; and the immediate past Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru.

Also asked to take a bow and go were former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejeocha, who represented Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State; former member, House of Representatives and Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, since 2017, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio said that those who had issues would have their cases looked into at the stage of confirmation.

 

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