Ministerial nominee causes scare at Senate, faints during screening

The Kaduna State ministerial nominee, Abbas Balarabe, collapsed during his screening before the Senate.

Balarabe had just finished his presentation to the lawmakers and collapsed while one of the Kaduna senators was praising him.

Following his collapse, the Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio, started to scream, “Bring water and sugar. Call Dr Musa”.

Akpabio then immediately called for a closed-door session.

Balarabe was nominated as a replacement for the former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

His name was conveyed in a letter read by Akpabio at the plenary on Tuesday.

Balarabe’s name was read alongside Dr Jamila Ibrahaim and Ayodele Olawande as Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths respectively who were earlier nominated by the President.

Balarabe, a former Secretary to the Kaduna State government, was in April appointed to lead a 65-man transition committee ahead of the swearing-in of Uba Sani.

The Senate had in August refused to confirm the nomination of El-Rufai alongside former Nexim bank Managing Director, Stella Okotete (Delta State), and Abubakar Danlandi, a nominee from Taraba State.

The president had earlier sent 48 nominees to the Senate who passed 45 as ministers.