Breaking: Senate Confirms 45 Ministerial Nominees, Withholds Three

It, however, deferred the confirmation of three nominees who it said are awaiting security clearance.

Those affected are the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, a former senator from Taraba, Sani Danladi, and a nominee from Delta State, Stella Okotete.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the confirmation of the nominees after they were cleared by a voice vote by the senators at the plenary.

The senators had cleared the nominees by voice vote at the Committee of the Whole when Mr Akpabio read out their names one after the other.

After that, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion for the Senate to revert to the plenary to report progress. The Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwom, seconded the motion.

Earlier, the upper legislative chamber screened the last two nominees – Mariya Mahmoud (Kano) and Festus Keyamo (Delta) at the Committee of the Whole presided over by Mr Akpabio.

The president nominated both Mr Keyamo and Mrs Mahmoud on Friday.

The Senate had previously screened 46 nominees between Monday and Saturday last week.

President Tinubu transmitted the names of the nominees in three separate correspondences to the upper house of the National Assembly on 28 July, 3 August and 4 August.