President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally submitted the names of two key nominees to the Senate for confirmation, signaling a strategic reinforcement of his administration’s economic and fiscal leadership teams.
In a letter read during Wednesday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President requested the screening and confirmation of Muttaqha Rabe Darma as Minister of Housing and Urban Development and Lamido Abubakar Yuguda as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Yuguda’s nomination follows the recent appointment of the former CBN Deputy Governor, Bala Bello, as Special Adviser to the President on Political Economy. Yuguda is the immediate past Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), serving from 2020 to 2024. With over 30 years of experience, including a significant career at the CBN and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), his appointment is viewed as a “stability play” for the naira and the broader financial sector. The nomination was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, with a directive to report back within one week.
In another correspondence, the President requested the confirmation of Benedict Umeano as a member of the Code of Conduct Bureau, representing the South East, for a second term in office. Citing Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Tinubu urged the Senate to consider and confirm the appointment.
This nomination was referred to the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption, also with a one-week timeline to report back.
Similarly, the president forwarded the names of seven nominees for appointment as commissioners of the National Population Commission. The nominees are Kodawole Oladipo (Ekiti State), Nasiu Umar (Zamfara State), Usman Abubakar Tuggar (Bauchi State), Isyaka Yahya (Kwara State), Sadiq Isa (Katsina State), Suleiman Umar (Jigawa State), and Chisom Abdullahi (Federal Capital Territory).
The list was referred to the Committee on National Identity and National Population for screening and further legislative action, with a directive to report back to plenary within one week.
“The President charges the nominees to discharge their responsibilities with renewed dedication and professionalism to ensure Nigeria’s economic stability and growth,” a statement from the State House read.
The committees are expected to conduct screening exercises and report back to the plenary within the next legislative week. Given the high-profile nature of the nominees and the current economic climate, the screenings are anticipated to be rigorous but swift.
