Abuja, NIGERIA — The Nigerian Senate has cleared the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, to become a minister.
Wike had arrived at the National Assembly complex with his wife on Monday.
After his introduction on the floor, former Governor was asked to take a bow and go by the Senate.
After his introductory comment, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, attested to Wike’s competence and capacity to deliver in office and subsequently asked him to take a bow as the red chamber cleared him for ministerial role in the Tinubu government.
Senator Mpigi Barinada, in supporting the nominee, said he, two other senators from Rivers and over five million people of Rivers are in support of his nomination.
“He is our best. He is our example. We three senators and over five million Rivers people are in total support of his nomination. I want to urge the Senate to ask him to take a bow ans go,” Barinada said.
Senators supported that he should take a bow and go when Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the question to voice vote.
Thereafter, Wike left the plenary.
While the former Rivers has been cleared by the Senate, it is not clear which ministry Wike will head.
According to the ministerial list earlier forwarded to Senate, President Bola Tinubu did not indicate any portfolio for the nominees.
Recall that Wike, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was part of the first set of nominees screened by the Senate on Monday.
Wike, who was crossed with the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had worked for Tinubu during the 2023 February presidential election.
The PDP chieftain is believed to have been compensated with the ministerial appointment for supporting the then-APC president candidate, Tinubu.
At the screening Wike.said President Bola Tinubu won’t regret nominating him to serve as a minister in his cabinet.
Wike told the Senators that during his time as governor of the oil-rich Niger Delta state from May 2015 to May 2023, he started and completed many projects to improve the infrastructure of the state and that he invited politicians across party lines to commission them.
These things can be achieved if you are committed, if you have passion for the job,” Wike told the lawmakers.
He said there are many former governors who desire to be a minister but who don’t have passion the serve Nigerians.
“There are so many people who wants to be ministers for the sake that ‘I was a governor’, for the sake that ‘I was a minister’ but there are those who say, ‘Look, what do I have to offer? Am I committed to this job?’
“I thank Mr President for nominating me. I believe, knowing how hungry Mr President is to solving the problems of Nigeria, we have no choice but to give him that required support. And I can assure you, if I am confirmed in whatever capacity, Mr President will not regret nominating me,” said the ex-Rivers governor who was a minister during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Following the transmission of Tinubu’s much-awaited ministerial list to the red chamber last Thursday, the Senate commenced the screening of the first batch of the nominees today (Monday).
The screening commenced at the upper chamber on Monday afternoon during plenary upon the arrival of the Senate President.
It was reliably gathered that 20 of the 28 today ministerial nominees completed their documentation for the screening at the Senate today (Monday).
Those yet to complete their documentation, it was gathered, are currently out of the country.