Saraki woos Tinubu, Marafa with ‘juicy’ c’ttees

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday wooed key members of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF), Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central) and Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) with juicy committees.

Saraki announced a minor shake-up of 14 of the 65 committees at the end of the plenary yesterday. He also increased the standing committees from 65 to 66 as he created the Legislative Compliance Committee.

Tinubu moved from Women Affairs to Environment Committee.

Marafa, who is the spokesperson of the SUF, moved from National Identity and National Population to Petroleum (Downstream) Committee.

Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna North) moved from Vice Chairman of Federal Character and Inter Government Affairs to Chairman National Identity Committee.

Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central) who was until yesterday Chairman of Customs, Excise & Tariff was swapped with Senator Hope Uzodinma(PDP, Imo West), the Aviation Committee Chairman.

Senator Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North) moved from Vice Chairman Petroleum (Downstream) to Chairman of Tertiary Institutions, Senator Binta Garba Masi (APC, Adamawa North) from Tertiary Institutions to Women Affairs.

Others are, Senator Joshua Dariye (PDP, Plateau Central) Solid Minerals to Public Procurement; Senator James Manager (PDP, Delta South) Power to Solid Minerals; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South) Information and National Orientation to Power and Senator Adokwe Suleiman took over Abaribe’s former committee.

Also, Senator Babajide Omoworare (APC, Osun East) moved from Rules and Business to the newly created Legislative Compliance Committee; Senator Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai (APC, Borno Central) was given Omoworare’s committee and Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara North) now chairs Federal Character Committee.

Senate minority whip, Philip Aduda (Downstream Petroleum), Ovie Omo-Agege (Land Transport) and Ahmed Ogembe (Marine Transport) were given the Vice Chairmanship of committees. There had been pressure on members of the SUF who had gone to court over the forging of the senate rules to withdraw their case.