Former Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo is finally having the last laugh, because just a day after he was mocked on social media by some opposition political party supporters for being left out of the Ministerial slots, his name has been added to the nominee list, as he took to social media to praise God for the nomination.
Festus Keyamo who was the Chief Spokesman for the All Progress Congress Presidential Campaign 2019-2023, was mocked on Social Media after he congratulated those that made the Ministerial lists. But on Friday, when the news broke about changes on the list sent to the Senate, the man nicked named ‘sandalili’ by social media trolls, took to his official social media handle to react to the news that his name has been added to President Tinubu’s ministerial list. He posted this short message, possibly aimed at his social media trolls..
“He’s a miracle-working God. He’s a miracle-working GodHe’s the Alpha and Omega, He’s a miracle-working God!.” he posted.
On Friday 4th August 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dropped two ministerial nominees from the list already sent to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation, and re-nominated two other people as a replacement, with Festus Keyamo as one of the new nominees.
The ministerial nomination of Maryam Shetty from Kano was replaced with Dr Mairiya Mahmud.
Tinubu announced this is a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during plenary on Friday.
Meanwhile, the screening of the ministerial nominees is ongoing at the Senate.
Speaking Friday at the resumption of ministerial screening, the Senate justified the “bow-and-go” privilege accorded members of parliament who appear before the Senate for confirmation of appointments.
Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, said since the Red Chamber knows the antecedents and capacity of parliamentarians who are nominated as ministers, it would be a sheer waste of time to subject them to thorough grilling.
He said this practice of ‘bow and go’ privilege extended to legislators is a global practice, not limited to the Nigerian parliament.
“It’s a sheer waste of time to subject parliamentarians to thorough grilling during ministerial screening because we know them, their records, antecedents and capacity. It’s a global best practice. It is important members of the public know this,” Bamidele said.