Daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mrs. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and two former governors are among the 54 persons heading stratregic committees in the Senate.
Two former governors, Ahmed Makarfi and George Akume, got the chairmanship of Finance and Integration and Cooperation in Africa respectively.
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello was given the chairmanship of Health Committee, while Smart Adeyemi was named chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character.
Minority senators were appointed chairmen of only four out of the 54 committees, namely Public Accounts; Ethics and Public Petitions; State and Local Government and Capital Market.
The President of the Senate, David Mark, while announcing the committees, said the naming of the committees did not foreclose any review, noting that objections would be entertained for any possible changes.
Senator Nicholas Ugbane, who headed the Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, was moved to Power and Energy; Joy Emordi and Nuhu Aliu retained their positions on Education and Security and Intelligence committees respectively.
Abubakar Sondangi is the now Chairman of the Committee on the Federal Capital Territory; Gbemi Saraki now heads Marine Transport; Hosea Ehinlawo, I.D Card and Population; Julius Ucha, Works; Lee Maeba, Upstream Petroleum while Jubril Aminu retained his chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Senator Iyiola Omisore was appointed the Appropriation Committee chairman; James Manager heads Committee on the Niger Delta; Bassey Ewa Henshaw is Chairman of Water Resources and Efiom Bob heads the Senate Services Committee.
Other senators and their committees are Ibrahim Idah, Defence; Ayogu Eze, Information and Media; Nkechi Nwougwu, Banking, Insurance, Financial Institutions; Ganiyu Solomon, Capital Market; Ayo Arinze, Privatisation; Ehigie Edobor Ozamere, Local and Foreign Debt; Bode Olajumoke, Navy and Emmanuel Paulker, Downstream Petroleum.
But, the minority parties have protested against the number of chairmanship slots allotted to them
Jul262007