Taking a bow and go – Senate President Godswill Akpabio explains

On Monday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized to ministerial nominees that taking a bow during their appearance before the Senate does not imply automatic clearance or confirmation for any ministerial role. This clarification came during the screening of a nominee from Anambra State, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye.

Kennedy-Ohanenye, the first female ministerial nominee to be screened by the red chamber on the first day of the screening, had previously been the sole female presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election. She had also stepped down for former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, during the APC presidential primary in June 2022. Kennedy-Ohanenye was among the seven female nominees included in the President’s 28-men ministerial list unveiled the previous Thursday by the Senate President.

After Kennedy-Ohanenye’s introductory comment, Senator Ireti Kingibe from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) advocated that the ex-APC presidential aspirant be allowed to take a bow. Kingibe stated that she deserved the privilege, just like other nominees who had taken a bow.

In response, Senate President Akpabio clarified the tradition of allowing nominees to take a bow, regardless of whether they are cleared or not. He emphasized that the act of taking a bow before the hallowed chamber is a customary practice observed globally. However, he also made it clear that despite taking a bow, the final decision on confirmation would be made after thorough clearance procedures.

In essence, taking a bow during the Senate appearance is a customary gesture but does not guarantee automatic confirmation for ministerial roles. The Senate would still conduct the necessary clearance and confirmation process for each nominee.