House of Reps Urges Acting Pres. Osinbajo To Assign Portfolios to 2 Ministers-designate

The house of representatives on Tuesday called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to swear in the two ministerial nominees who have been screened by the senate.

The upper legislative chamber confirmed the appointment of the two ministers – Stephen Ocheni from Kogi and Suleiman Hassan from Gombe – on May 3, 2017.

At plenary on Tuesday, Karimi Sunday, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Kogi, moved a motion on the ministers.

Sunday had expressed concern that the states were not represented in the federal executive council, adding that the council as currently constituted was a breach of section 14(2) and section 147(3) of the 1999 constitution.

He said the constitution vested the executive power in the president and that such power may be exercised directly through the vice-president and ministers.

He cited relevant sections of the constitution to support the motion and said that the affected states had been denied representation in the council.

The lawmaker, therefore, urged the house to prevail on the acting president to swear in the ministers-designate.

The motion was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Yussuf Lasun, deputy speaker, who presided at the plenary.