Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Move by the 15 senators from the South-East to protest the marginalisation of the zone in the number of ministerial nominees sent by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for screening, was Monday night, halted by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Akpabio had announced the confirmation of 45 out of the 48 nominees sent to the upper legislative chamber by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Immediately after hitting the gravel on the confirmations, the South-East senators attempted to move a motion about non-inclusion of the zone in zonal ministerial slot, but the Senate President asked whether the motion was contained in the day’s Order Paper.
He immediately asked the Clerk of the Senate to get him the Order Paper, and after confirming, Akpabio pleaded that the motion be stood down, promising that he will personally engage President Tinubu on the matter and get better results.
Ikengaonline had reported that Tinubu gave 10 slots to the North-West; nine to South-West, while North-East, North-Central and South-South got eight slots respectively.
Only five slots were given to the South-East by President Tinubu.
South-East was also totally excluded from the headship of the security agencies during the eight years of the immediate-past President Muhammadu Buhari.
