Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday confirmed the receipt of the ministerial nominees list at about 4:56pm from the Presidency but stated the content of the presidential communication would be read on Tuesday.
The Senate had adjourned plenary at 2:00pm on Wednesday till Tuesday, October 6.
As stated by sources, 21 names were contained in the list.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, in company with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Eg, delivered the list in a sealed envelope to the Senate President in his office.
Saraki, who left the office around 5:30pm, later spoke to journalists through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, explaining that the list would be read on the floor during plenary Tuesday next week.
“The Senate president received the ministerial list around 5:00pm this evening but no action would be taken on it until next week Tuesday. The envelope is still sealed,” Olaniyonu told newsmen.
It was, however, learnt that a former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola; and a former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, made the list.
Also stated to be on the list are Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State; a former Governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige; and a one-time Governor of Abia State, Ogbonaya Onu.
Malami Abubakar (SAN), a former National Legal Adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressives Change; Aisha Alhassan, a former governorship candidate of the APC in Taraba State; and Amina Mohammed, a special adviser to the Secretary-General of the United nations, Ban Ki-Moon, also made the ministerial list. A former finance commissioner in Ogun State, Kunle Adeosun, was not left out.
Curiously, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ibe Kachikwu, is stated to be on the list, perhaps to combine his headship of the NNPC with junior petroleum minister portfolio. Buhari has already announced himself as the substantive Minister of Petroleum.