Seven days after the submission of a list of 28 ministerial nominees to the Senate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday submitted a fresh batch of 19 names.

With the new names, the total number of ministerial nominees has now come to 47, the highest since the return of the country to democracy in 1999.

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, submitted Tinubu’s supplementary ministerial list to the Senate at 3.18 pm during the extended screening of nominees in the Committee of the Whole.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio received the list contained in a white envelope.

Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, was the nominee being screened when Gbajabiamila was allowed into the Senate chambers after the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele invoked the necessary provision of the Senate Standing Rules in order to admit him to deliver the executive communication.

According to the letter Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, Bosun Tijani, Dr Maryam Shetty, Isiak Salako, Tunji Alausa, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, Adegboyega Oyetola, Atiku Bagudu and Bello Matawalle.

Other new nominees are Ibrahim Geidam, Simon Lalong, Lola Ade John, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Prof Tahir Mamman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Senator Alkali Ahmed Saidu, Senator Heineken Lokpobori, Uba Maigari Ahmadu and Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo.

While other geopolitical zones got at least two nominees, the South East geopolitical got only nominee per State.

Out of the 47 nominees, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Imo and Abia States respectively, got only five slots.

A breakdown of the ministerial nominees shows that North West has 10 (Kano, Kebbi, Katsina have 2 slots each)

North East has eight (Taraba, Bauchi have 2 slots each). North Central has seven (Niger has 2 slots and FCT)

South West has nine (Ogun has 3, Lagos has 2 slots). South East has 5 (No state with an additional slot). South South has seven (Cross River has 2 slots)

The ministerial nominees by geopolitical zones reveal that North West – 10, South West- 9, North East- 8, North Central- 8, South South- 7, and South East- 5, making it a total of 47

States with more than one are Ogun- 3, Lagos- 2, Niger- 2, Katsina- 2, Kano- 2, Bauchi- 2, Kebbi- 2, Taraba- 2, Cross River- 2.

The Senate is expected to reconvene on Friday, 4th of August 2023 for the continuation of the ministerial confirmation hearing.

Meanwhile, immediate-past spokesman to Tinubu and a ministerial nominee, Dele Alake, has called for the regulation of social media.

Alake spoke during the ongoing ministerial confirmation hearing on Wednesday. He claimed that if the social media space is left unchecked, Nigeria could run into trouble.

He said: “There are concerns about the social media. There are positive and negative sides. The downside is so detrimental to a decent and good society. I support strengthened regulations. During my time ad journalists, we didn’t have this issue.

“I’ll recommend strengthening of our laws and regulations of social media. I’ll support any actions from the National Assembly to handle the issue of social media.

“I’m not advocating absolute press freedom without responsibility. When an information is irresponsible, it can lead to chaos. I’ll uphold these views to my grave.”

Other nominees screened were Fagbemi, Muhammad Idris, Professor Ali Pate and Doris Anite Uzoka. (Daily Sun)

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