Former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike says President Bola Tinubu will not regret picking him to serve as a minister in his cabinet.
Wike stated this when he stood before the red chamber on Monday afternoon for screening.
Wike is the lone PDP chieftain on the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration’s ministerial list, which the President delivered to the Senate last Thursday.
Wike told the Senators that as governor of the oil-rich Niger Delta state from May 2015 to May 2023, he initiated and completed numerous projects to strengthen the state’s infrastructure, and he invited lawmakers from all parties to commission them.
“These things can be achieved if you are committed, if you have passion for the job,” Wike told the lawmakers.
He stated that there are many former governors who want to be ministers but lack the drive to serve Nigerians.
“There are so many people who wants to be ministers for the sake that ‘I was a governor’, for the sake that ‘I was a minister’ but there are those who say, ‘Look, what do I have to offer? Am I committed to this job?’
“I thank Mr President for nominating me. I believe, knowing how hungry Mr President is to solving the problems of Nigeria, we have no choice but to give him that required support. And I can assure you, if I am confirmed in whatever capacity, Mr President will not regret nominating me,” said the ex-Rivers governor who was a minister during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Following his opening remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio attested to Wike’s competency and capacity to deliver in office, and later invited him to take a bow when the red chamber cleared him for a ministerial job in Tinubu’s administration.
Following the delivery of Tinubu’s long-awaited ministerial list to the Senate last Thursday, the Senate began examining the first batch of nominations today (Monday).
With the arrival of the Senate President on Monday afternoon, the screening began in the upper chamber during plenary.
Today (Monday), 20 of the 28 ministry nominees finished their paperwork for the Senate vetting.
Those who have yet to complete their documentation are believed to be out of the country.
