A ministerial nominee, Abbas Lawal Balarabe, slumped on the floor of the Senate during the screening exercise on Wednesday.

President Bola Tinubu forwarded his Balarabe’s name alongside Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim and Mr Olawande Ayodele Olawale to the Senator for confirmation on Tuesday.

After Ibrahim took a bow, Balarabe stepped onto the podium to address the senators but slumped after giving an introductory speech.

Lawal replaced the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, following the refusal of the senators to confirm him in August.

Here are seven things to know about Balarabe:

1. Abbas Lawal Balarabe who was born on February 5, 1958, is a 65-year-old indigene from Kachia Local Government, Kaduna State.

2. Balarabe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1981 and also holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the same university in 1986.

3. He served as Secretary to the State Government of Kaduna under Nasir El-Rufai’s administration between 2015 and 2023.

4. Between September 1999 and February 2001, he worked as a Special Assistant to the Federal Minister of Education in Abuja. Also, between February 2001 and May 2003, he worked as a Special Assistant to the Minister of State (Army) at the Ministry of Defence.

5. He then worked as a Special Assistant to the President in the Federal Capital Territory and as the Chief of Staff to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, among other positions held, from July 2003 until July 2007.

6. He is into real estate and property management as he is the current Managing Director of Rightedge Property Nigeria Limited, Abuja (October 2008 to date).

7. Balarabe is active in agricultural activities like poultry, livestock, and crop production in the Zaria Metropolis. (Vanguard)

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