Senate did its best in screening of ministerial nominees — Sen. Kabiru Gaya

Sen. Kabiru Gaya (APC-Kano South) has said that the 9th Senate did its best in the just concluded screening of 43 ministerial nominees sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Gaya, the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

The lawmaker who was asked on his view about the perception by some Nigerians that the just concluded screening was more of “bow and go’’, said that most of the nominees were former lawmakers and former ministers, who were qualified for the positions.

Gaya, however, said that the exercise would have been better if portfolios were attached to the list of the nominees.

“Those are the views of Nigerians and I agree with them, but you remember that most of them were former minister and former house of representative members and former senators who are legible to be ministers.

“Anybody who is a senator or a member house of representative is qualified to be a minister.

“We did the best we could have done in term of the screening but the exercise would have been done better if we have the portfolios attached to the list of the nominees.

“For instance, if a nominee is to be minister of works or education, then we will drill him on educational sector.

“If a nominee is to be minister of justice, we will drill him in the area of laws of Nigeria, but the nominees were sent to us without portfolios.

“We believe that in the future, the president will add their portfolios,’’ he said.

Gaya also said that the Senate President Ahmed Lawan was doing his best in providing effective leadership.

He also pledged that his committee would work with the House of Representatives to review the Electoral Act as soon as possible “once the bill is resent to the National Assembly by the president’’.