President Bola Tinubu has nominated Abbas Balarabe as the replacement for former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the ministerial cabinet.
The announcement was made through a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary.
Balarabe’s nomination was presented alongside Dr. Jamila Ibrahim and Ayodele Olawande as Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths, respectively, who were previously nominated by the President.
It was reported in August that El-Rufai’s name was conspicuously absent from the list of ministerial nominees confirmed by the Senate.
During the screening process, the Senate approved and confirmed a total of 45 out of the 48 nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
Several petitions, including one from Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West), were presented against the former governor during the screening.
Senator Karimi raised concerns about insecurity in Southern Kaduna following El-Rufai’s presentation.
He said, “Your performance in any office you find yourself in the country has been outstanding. In the Bureau of Public Enterprises, your record is there, in FCT as a minister, your record is there, and as two-time governor of Kaduna state, you did well.”
Raising a brown envelope, Karimi further stated, “But, I have a very strong petition against you that borders on security, unity, and cohesiveness of the Nigerian nation.
“And I think that the petition has to be considered in this screening exercise.”
Karimi then submitted the petition to the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who was presiding over the screening exercise at that moment
Barau in response said, “I don’t know if you followed the normal process, but this is the opportunity for nominees to explain and showcase themselves, later we will come to confirmation and approval.”
