The Nigerian Senate confirmed three ministerial nominees on Wednesday, which included Abbas Balarabe from Kaduna State, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim from Kwara State, and Ayodele Olawande from Ondo State.
Notably, Abbas Balarabe’s nomination came as a replacement for Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, whose nomination had been rejected by the Senate.
However, during the screening process, a startling incident unfolded. After the screening of Dr. Jamila Ibrahim, the first nominee to face the Senate, the session was disrupted when Abbas Balarabe, the second nominee, fainted on the podium shortly after introducing himself to the Senate. Balarabe had just concluded his self-introduction and was sharing his experiences and track record when the incident occurred, approximately 15 minutes into his screening session.
Senator Sunday Katung from Kaduna South Senator was making submissions in support of Balarabe’s nomination when the nominee suddenly collapsed. Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for medical assistance, shouting, “Give him (Balarabe) sugar and water!” Journalists and cameramen were instructed to stop filming and leave the Senate chamber.
After receiving medical attention and recovering, Balarabe pleaded with the Senate to allow him to continue with the session, but he was advised to seek further medical attention. The Senate then resumed after a 45-minute break to screen the third nominee, Ayodele Olawande. All three nominees were subsequently confirmed by the Senate.
Meanwhile, amidst these events, a tragedy occurred as Tijani Adeyemi, a Senate correspondent for the Tribune Newspaper, passed away due to cardiac arrest in one of the National Assembly shuttle buses. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead when taken to the clinic of the Secretary General of the Federation. His remains were laid to rest at the Gudu Cemetery in accordance with Islamic rites.
These incidents highlight the unpredictability and range of events that can occur in the course of political proceedings in Nigeria.