Happiness, shocks and disappointment pervaded Senate on Tuesday as President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, rolled out names of chairmen and deputy chairmen of 69 standing committees.
While some senators were happy with their positions, others were not comfortable with the committees they were given to chair.
It was also a period of compensation as Lawan made some of his loyalists and campaign coordinators chairmen of some strong committees.
Meanwhile, the Senate has vacated for its annual break of two months to resume September 24.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, got 20 chairmanship positions, while the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, got 49.
The geo- political zone distribution of chairmen of committees has North West with the highest of 16; South West, 13; North East, 11; South South, 10; North Central, 10 and South East, 9.
Interestingly, Lawan’s only contender to the position of Senate President, former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South, was made the chairman, Defence; Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano North, got Appropriations, while Senator Adamu Abdullahi, APC, Nasarawa West retained his former position as Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.
Similarly, Marine Transport has Danjuma Goje, APC, Gombe Central as Chairman; former Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi Central, got the Chairman, Committee on Air force; Senate Services went to a new senator, Musa Sani, APC, Niger East; while Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions went to a new senator, Uba Sani, APC, Kaduna Central.
National Security and Intelligence is chaired by Senator Abdullahi Gobir, APC, East; Navy – George Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East; Police affairs has Dauda Jika, APC, Bauchi Central as Chairman; Poverty Alleviation and Social Investment Program – Lawal Gumau, APC, Bauchi South and Power has Gabriel Suswam, PDP, Benue North East as Chairman.
Former governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko, APC, Sokoto North, was made the Chairman, Defence; Senator Adamu Aliero, APC, Kebbi South, got Works; Senator Sabo Mohammed, APC, Jigawa South West got Petroleum (Downstream); Senator Francis Alimikhena, APC, Edo North is Chairman, Customs and Excise; Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, PDP, Akwa Ibom North East; Senator Solomon Adeola, APC, Lagos West, Chairman, Finance; Senator Oluremi Tinubu, APC, Lagos Central, Chairman, Committee on Communications and Senator Dino Melaye, PDP, Kogi West, Aviation; and Abubakar Kyari, APC, Borno North is Chairman, Committee on FCT.
The immediate past President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, is Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment; Senator Barau Jibrin chairs Appropriations Committee; Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, PDP, Delta North retained his Niger Delta Committee; Senator Matthew Urhoghide, PDP, Edo South, retained the Committee on Public Accounts, Senator James Manager, PDP, Delta South, is chairman, Committee on Gas Resources, while Senator Rochas Okorocha,APC, Imo West is chairman, Culture and Tourism Committee.
Others are Senator Ibikunle Amosun, APC, Ogun Central, Chairman, Committee on Capital Market; Corporation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD is chaired by Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, PDP, Enugu East; Senator Clifford Ordia, PDP, Edo Central chairs Committee on Local and Foreign Debt; Drugs and Narcotics, Hezekaiah Dimka, APC, Plateau Central; Climate Change has Senator Mohammad Gusau, PDP, Zamfara Central as Chairman; Education (Basic and Secondary) has Ibrahim Geidam, APC, Yobe East as Chairman; Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes has Suleiman Kwari, APC, Kaduna as Chairman; Diaspora and NGOs, has Bashiru Ajibola, APC,Osun Central as Chairman.
Employment, Labour and Productivity has Ben Uwajumogwu, APC, Imo North as Chairman; Establishment and Public Service has Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, APC, Kano Central as Chairman; Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions has Patrick Akinyelure, PDP, Ondo Central as Chairman; Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs – Danjuma Laah, PDP, Kaduna South; FERMA, Gershom Bassey, PDP, Cross River South; Foreign Affairs – Mohammed Bulkachuwa, APC, Bauchi North; Health (Secondary and Tertiary) – Ibrahim Oloriegbe, APC, Kwara Central; Housing – Sam Egwu, PDP, Ebonyi North; ICT and Cybercrime – Yakubu Useni, APC, Kogi Central; INEC – Kabiru Gaya, APC, Kano South; Industries – Adebayo Osinowo, APC, Lagos East; Information and National Communication – Danladi Sankara, APC, Jigawa North West; Interior -Kashim Shettima, APC, Borno Central and Interparliamentary Affairs – Godiya Akwashiki, APC, Nasarawa South.
Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters – Michael Bamidele Opeyemi, APC, Ekiti Central; Land Transport – Abdulfatai Buhari, APC, Oyo North; Legislative Compliance , Oriolowo Adeyemi, APC,Osun West; Local Content – Teslim Folarin, APC, Oyo Central; Media and Public Affairs – Adedayo Adeyeye, APC, Ekiti South; National Identity and National Population – Sa’idu Alkali, APC, Gombe North; National Planning – Olubunmi Adetunmbi, APC, Ekiti North.
Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases – Chuwkuka Utazi, PDP, Enugu North; Privatisation – Theodore Orji, PDP, Abia Central Oriolowo Adeyemi; Public Procurement – Shuaibu Lau, PDP, Taraba North; Rules and business – Sadiq Umar, APC, Kwara North; Science and Technology – Uche Ekwunife, PDP, Anambra Central Robert Boroffice; Solid Minerals, Mine, Steel Development and Metallurgy – Tanko Almakura, APC, Nasarawa North; Sports and Social Development , Joseph Obinna Ogba, PDP, Ebonyi Central; State and Local Government – Lekan Mustapha, APC, Ogun East; Special duties Yusuf Yusuf, APC, Taraba Central; SDGs – Aisha Dahiru, APC, Adamawa Central; Tertiary Institution and TETFUND – Ahmed Baba Kaita, APC, Katsina North; Trade and Investment – Rose Oko,PDP, Cross River North; Water Resources – Bello Mandiya, APC, Katsina South; and Women Affairs and Youth Development – Betty Apiafi, PDP, Rivers South Aishatu Dahiru.
Lawan made the announcement shortly before the Senate adjourned for a two-month recess which was initially delayed to allow for confirmation of the 43 nominees of the President for ministerial appointments.
