DSS Clears 21 Ministerial Nominees

A total of 21 ministerial nominees have been cleared by Department of State Services (DSS), multiple sources.

The clearance by the intelligence agency comes ahead of today’s resumption of the two chambers of the National Assembly from their recess.

It was further gathered that list of the nominees would be transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation in line with the 1999 Constitution soon. The presidency had severally pledged to Nigerians that the constitution of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) won’t be delayed this time around.

In 2015, it took the president six months to send the list of his ministerial nominees to the Senate.

Security and presidency sources confirmed  that the DSS has cleared a total of 21 of the nominees. A security source, who spoke anonymously, said the vetting is being conducted discreetly in order not to jeopardize or politicize the process.

It was gathered that the DSS Department of vetting, headed by a deputy director was in charge of the vetting of the nominees.

A source close to the presidency, said so far 21 nominees have been cleared by the DSS from different states. The source said, however,‎ that while there was an official communication by the DSS to the presidency on the clearance of 14 of the nominees, that of seven of them was yet to be officially communicated.

“The screening has been going on since about four weeks ago. Based on what I know, there were no issues with most of the nominees invited by the DSS. I know that 21 of them have been cleared so far.

Out of that number, 14 have their clearance communications with the presidency. “But the official communication for seven of them has not reached the presidency yet, although they have been cleared.‎ If you add the two together, that gives you 21 nominees that have been cleared so far,” the source said. Asked about when the National Assembly would get the ministerial list, the source said it would not exceed the next two weeks.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, recently said in an interview that President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet will become a reality in July after the National Assembly resumes from its recess. “They’re still working on some of the names of the nominees from the states. The final list of all the nominees should be ready this week. But I doubt if the Senate will get it this week.

It may have to be next week or in the next two weeks,” the source said. Among those cleared, were some immediate past ministers. Two of the former ministers have intimated their aides of their clearance, it was gathered.