Ministerial Screening in Nigeria “Sham Process” – Analyst Sounds Alarm

A policy analyst and expert on legislative governance, Chibuzo Okereke, has raised serious concerns over Nigeria’s ministerial screening procedure, describing it as a “sham process” that falls short of the constitutional requirements.

Speaking on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television, Okereke said the process is largely ceremonial, rather than a thorough vetting exercise, highlighting the recent resignation of former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over alleged certificate forgery.

“The ministerial screening we witness today is more of a parley than the confirmatory process the law mandates,” Okereke said.

He emphasized that both the Nigerian Constitution and Senate Standing Orders provide clear procedures for confirming ministerial appointments, but these are often ignored.

“Section 147(1) empowers the President to appoint ministers, while Section 147(2) empowers the Senate to confirm them. Yet, what we see in practice is far removed from this constitutional directive,” he noted.

Okereke described the situation as “deeply disturbing,” stressing that it is alarming for a minister to serve for years before such discrepancies in their credentials are uncovered.