• Umahi, Wike, Badaru, El-Rufai, others make list
  • More names expected later

From Fred Itua, Abuja

President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, finally unveiled the ministerial-nominees list sent to the upper legislative chamber by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

With the unveiling of the names, the long wait for the ministerial nominees has come to an end. It has also brought to a close, the intense lobbying and politicking that followed since the election of Tinubu in February.

Following the official transmission of names of ministerial nominees by President Tinubu, the Senate has also concluded plans to extend its sitting by at least one week.

The upper legislative chamber is expected to defer its annual recess, which ought to have commenced today, Thursday. It will not commence its annual break next week after the confirmation hearing.

The unveiling of the names followed a point of order raised by the leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, who urged his colleagues to allow Femi Gbajabiamila into the chamber to submit the ministerial list.

Gbajabiamila is the chief of staff to President Tinubu. He stepped into the chamber at about 1:18 PM. He left the chamber at 1:21 PM after submitting the list to Akpabio.

Akpabio, reacting, read the letter.