One of the ministerial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu, Abass Balarabe reportedly slumped at the podium during the Senate screening on Wednesday.
Balarabe, from Kaduna State, slumped after making his introductory remarks after he had talked for about fifteen minutes.
He said:
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“I want to indicate clearly that, as part of my career, I was appointed secretary to the government three times from 2015 till today. I want to say that I am likely the longest-serving secretary to the government in Nigeria.
“I have been part of administration; I have been part of policy-making. I have been part of trying to change things in the country based on what I did at the federal level and at the state level.
“I want to bring this experience to wherever I find myself in the new cabinet of the president. I want to express my gratitude to all of you for listening, and I also want to extend my sincere thanks to the President of the Senate for allowing me to stand before the chambers.”
Following the incident, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio called for doctors to attend to him and directed that the Senate should immediately resolve into an executive session.
“The nominee, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said he was quite exhausted, and that he rushed to Abuja for his ministerial screening.”
Despite the collapse incident, the Senate confirmed Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Kwara) and Ayodele Olawande (Ondo) as members of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
The majority of the Senators supported the confirmation of the three nominees immediately after their screening exercise.
