Screening of Ministerial Nominees Will be Thorough, Senate Leader Assures Nigerians

By Iyojo Ameh

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has assured Nigerians that the Senate will be thorough with the screening of the ministerial nominees presented by the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

Bamidele said the Senate will scrutinise the ministers thoroughly to ascertain their competences and capabilities to serve Nigeria diligently and in such a way that will bring dividends of democracy to the populace .

The All Progressives Congress leader, also gave an inkling that the screening of the nominees will commence on Monday, July 31.

Bamidele said this on Friday, at a programme tagged ’24 Hours Marathon Praise and Worship Service’, organised by his admirers to mark his 60th birthday celebration held at the palatial Obafemi Awolowo Civic and Convention Centre in Ado Ekiti .

Top-rated gospel singers that participated in the carnival-like event included: Tope Alabi, Yinka Alaseyori, Aduke Gold, Esther Igbekele, Bj Sax , among others.

While speaking with journalists at the well-attended event, the Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said Senator Godswill Akpabio-led Senate was desirous and keen about ensuring that those holding pivotal positions under Tinubu’s presidency are those with capacities to deliver.

“Let me assure Nigerians that the screening won’t be only bow and go, except for those who had been members of the National Assembly before and whom we knew and appreciated that they have the wherewithal to give Nigerians qualitative leadership.

“Nigerians expected us to be thorough. They are expecting us to do a thorough screening. But take a bow and go is not an unparliamentary convention, it has become a practice all over the world and that person must be a former member of the parliament who is well known to us. Somebody we have confidence in his ability.

“We are going to follow the constitution to ensure that we deliver our mandate to make those who voted for us happy. This will occur at the level of parliament, oversight functions and at the committee level.

“We will partner Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deliver on his promises to Nigerians. We are determined to ensure that all the three arms of government, particularly the judiciary are put on a good footing to be able to deliver justice without fear or favour. We are determined to ensure that the right people are brought on board”.

On the removal of the fuel subsidy, Bamidele stated that the federal government will soon roll out social investment programmes to palliate the sufferings of the masses, especially poorest of the poor in the country.

“The federal government will put palliatives in place to help the poorest of the poor . There is also another category of palliatives that will be rolled out for the civil servants apart from the promised salary increment that will be done across states and at the federal level.

“The removal is very significant because the FG will be able to save a lot of money to do infrastructure and make all Nigerians happy. That was the intention of President Tinubu about the removal. He knew what Nigerians are passing through and efforts are underway to cushion the effects of this removal”

Bamidele appreciated God for sparing his life to celebrate 60th birthday, describing the gesture as uncommon favour , having a retrospect of what he had passed through in his political journeys.

In his short exhortation tagged “out of your faithfulness” at the eventb, the Vicar in charge of the All Saints’ Anglican Church, Iyin Ekiti, Ven Zaccheus Ibitoye, described Bamidele as a dependable and descent politician, who loathes politics of bitterness and do or die.

The Cleric assured that Nigerians will render a good story in the end despite the removal of the fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to curb allegedly corruption in the system .

“Let us be patient and pray for our leaders. All the presidential candidates promised that they will remove the petrol subsidy and one of them won and removed it. We should all be expecting it.

“Let us be patient with the federal government. We will have a good story to tell for our coming children. This stage and difficulties shall pass away”.

The Vicar added that Bamidele enjoyed tremendous favour from God because he had served humanity in the most rewarding fashion as a Commissioner and member of the National Assembly.

“We could all remember when he was shot few years back, whether through targeted or strayed bullet, but God protected him. He didn’t die because God proclaimed that it wasn’t yet time. I am happy for your life.

“Senator Bamidele is a special breed of politician, who will not pledge what he will not do. I want to charge you to continue to hang your faith in God. He has been protecting you. You are still going higher and higher, you are unstoppable.

“I plead with politicians to play this politics neatly. Some of you used to eliminate people because of ambition. Senator Bamidele doesn’t belong to that group. He is a descent politician. Let us learn how to wait upon God. All of us can’t be Senators or Governors, but we can all be children of God”.

Dignitaries at the colourful event included: Ekiti State First Lady, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, former Speaker , Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Olubunmi Adelugba, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, former National Assembly member, Hon. Bimbo Daramola

The roll call also included:Secretary to the Ekiti State Government, Dr Habitat Adubiaro, the All Progressives Congressives Chairman in Ekiti State, Hon Paul Omotoso, a senior staff of Tetfund, Dr. Olusola Ojo, Bishop Anglican Diocese of Ekiti, Most Reverend Olusola Ajayi