Senate Confirms Ministerial Nominee Who Collapsed During Screening, 2 Others

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Balarabe Abbas Lawal (Kaduna), Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Kwara) and Ayodele Olawande (Ondo) as ministers.

Majority of senators supported their confirmation in a voice vote immediately after their screening exercise on Wednesday during plenary.

Mr Balarabe from Kaduna collapsed at the Senate chamber when he appeared before the senators.

Balarabe, who was the second nominee to be screened after Dr Jamila, collapsed more than 15 minutes into his screening exercise.

Standing on the podium, he collapsed when Kaduna South Senator, Sunday Marshall Katung, was speaking about Balarabe’s administrative experience in Kaduna.

After Balarabe had finished reading his profile before the senators, the Kaduna lawmaker, while endorsing Balarabe’s ministerial nomination, said all the three senators from the state have no objection to his nomination. Senator Katung had not finished his remarks when the nominee collapsed, prompting the Senate President Godswill Akpabio to shout, “Give him water, give him water and sugar.”

Akpabio immediately ordered journalists and cameras out of the Senate chamber while the live streaming of the screening was also halted.

A lawmaker, who did not want to be named, later said Balarabe has stabilised.

“The man is okay now,” the senator simply told reporters.

The Senate resumed the ministerial screening almost one hour after the incident. Speaking before calling the last nominee, Olawande from Ondo, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said Balarabe admitted that he was exhausted having over worked for some days before the screening.

“The nominee, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal said he was quit exhausted, and that he rushed to Abuja for his ministerial screening,” the Senate President said.

Akpabio said the nominee insisted on going ahead with the screening, saying he was fine. But the Senate president called the last nominee, Olawande for screening.