Jonathan Nominates Inuwa Abdulkadir For Ministerial Position, Bianca Ojukwu For Ambassadorial

ABUJA, April 25, (THEWILL) - President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday asked the Senate to confirm Inuwa Abdul-Kadir as a minister of the Federal Republic.

Sokoto-born Abdulkadir, whose nomination was announced on the floor of the Senate by a residential correspondent, is to replace former Minister of Sports, Alhaji Yusuf Sulieman. Suleiman had resigned his ministerial appointment to enable him contest the Sokoto State gubernatorial election.

In a letter addressed to the Senate, Jonathan said, “In accordance with Section 147 (2) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I hereby submit the name of Inuwa AbdulKadir for consideration and confirmation as a minister by the distinguished members of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Similarly, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs screened wife of late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu and Senior Special Assistant to President on Diaspora Matters, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, who was nominated for an ambassadorial position.

Her screening could not hold alongside that of the other 87 confirmed ambassadors, as her husband’s death coincided with the Senate’s confirmation date.

She promised the screening committee, led by Senator Matthew Nwagu, that she would identify steps that the country can take to establish itself as a force to reckon with globally. She also noted that she will obtain data of Nigerians living abroad, in order to check their crime rate.

Dr Saleh Okenwa was also screened by the committee, as a nominee for membership of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

Meanwhile, the Senate has passed six bills for the establishment of six federal universities in the country. The federal universities include Lokoja, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Otuoke, Oye-Ekiti, Dutse and Wukari.

The passage of the bills brings the number of bills establishing federal universities to 10, four having been previously passed at Tuesday’s plenary. Passage of the bills by the upper chamber follows the presentation of a report by the Committee on Education, headed by Senator Uche Chukwumerije.

In his preliminary observation, Senator Chukwumerije pointed out that although Yobe, Kebbi and Zamfara states have not yet benefited from the development, arrangements by the federal government to ensure that these states have their own federal universities have reached an advanced stage.

Senator Chukwumerije also stated that he had received assurances from the National Universities Commission (NUC) that the universities would not start all their courses at the same time, but they would instead start with courses within their area of expertise and within the limits of their financial resources.