Ministers may resume August 16 as Senate shifts Keyamo, Mahmoud’s screening

Indications emerged on Saturday that President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees may assume duty in the third week of August, which is between August 14 and 18, Sunday PUNCH reports.

Impeccable presidency sources told one of our correspondents that the delay was to allow the new nominees screened and cleared by the Senate to prepare for the task ahead and relocate from their various states to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, from where they will function as ministers.

“It won’t be earlier than upper week (August 14 – 18) because I know it’s not on the President’s schedule for the new week,” the source said.

Another source said, “He (Tinubu) wants to give them the rest of the new week to plan and organise themselves because they will be traveling from different locations.”

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Since the Federal Executive Council meetings hold on Wednesdays, ministers may meet for the first time on August 16.

Last Wednesday, the President sent a supplementary list of ministerial nominees to the Senate to be screened for various roles in his cabinet.

Prominent on the list were former Governors Nyesom Wike, Dave Umahi, Mohammed Badaru, Bello Matawalle, Nasir El-Rufai, Simon Lalong, Gboyega Oyetola, Atiku Bagudu and Ibrahim Geidam of Rivers, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, Osun, Kebbi, and Yobe states.

The President on Friday withdrew his nomination of Dr Maryam Shetty from Kano State, replacing her with Dr Mariya Mahmoud, also from Kano.

He also nominated the former Minister of State for Labour and Unemployment under President Muhammadu Buhari, Festus Keyamo (SAN), making a long list of 48 nominees.

However, Sunday PUNCH observed that none of Tinubu’s favourites have a military background, leaving doubts about who would be his Minister of Defence.

Speaking with one of our correspondents, a presidency source who did not want to be mentioned, argued that the new defence helmsman must not have worn boots to excel in office.

The source noted, “It is expected that those in the military will understand the nuances and be able to command the respect and loyalty of the various armed forces. I understand the psychology.

“But it doesn’t matter. Often, the best administrators almost don’t even have direct professional training towards the agency or ministry they head.

“More so, there is no law that says whoever mans the ministry of defence must be a military person.”

Bosun Tijani apologises

Meanwhile, Bosun Tijani, a ministerial nominee of President Bola Tinubu, apologised to the Senate and by extension Nigerians over his tweets against the president and Nigerian passport.

Tijani, a tech expert, tendered his apology to the lawmakers when he appeared before them for his screening on Saturday.

While answering questions posed to him by the lawmakers, he explained that most of his tweets were borne out of his frustration with the system, noting that he didn’t intend to attack individuals.

He stated, “As a Yoruba boy that grew up in Lagos and Abeokuta, so I do understand that we are not meant to disrespect our elders. That was not the training we were given.

“My father won’t be proud of me for all these allegations but what he will be proud of as well is the passion that led me  to make those mistakes. I apologise to everyone in this hall, including everyone anywhere in Nigeria that may have been offended by everything I have said.

“I ask that you please, in the process of accepting my apologies, look at the undertone of everything I have said. I didn’t say it to spite; I said it out of frustration. So, please accept my sincere apologies. Distinguished Senators, please accept my apologies for going too far in my explanation, I’m absolutely sorry for everything I’ve said.”

Meanwhile, the Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio also pleaded with the lawmakers to accept Tijani’s apology.

Also in Tijani’s defense, Elisha Abbo, the senator representing Adamawa North, said the tweet represents the 46-year-old’s love and frustration with the country.

Also, Solomon Adeola, representing Ogun West, added that the nominee from his state tweeted out of youthful exuberance and should be forgiven.

He said Tijani had what it would take to develop Nigeria’s IT industry, saying “The baby should not be thrown away with the bath water.”